In a hard-fought Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal and Chelsea ended in a 1-1 draw, with Gabriel Martinelli’s opener for Arsenal cancelled out by a long-range strike from Pedro Neto.
The first half saw few clear-cut opportunities, although Arsenal’s Kai Havertz thought he had opened the scoring with a well-taken strike, only to be denied by VAR for a narrow offside.
Arsenal looked promising in possession but was unable to fully capitalize.
Chelsea, however, created several early chances, including a powerful 25-yard attempt from Cole Palmer, which forced Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to tip the ball over the bar.
Noni Madueke and Malo Gusto also had close-range chances for the home side, but neither could convert.
After a goalless first half, Arsenal made a breakthrough on the hour mark. Captain Martin Odegaard, returning to the lineup, lofted a clever pass into the Chelsea box that found Martinelli, who beat Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez at the near post, putting Arsenal ahead and thrilling the away fans.
Moments later, Arsenal nearly doubled their lead when Jurrien Timber, in a solo effort, dribbled through Chelsea’s defence but missed the target by inches.
However, Chelsea quickly responded. In the 70th minute, Enzo Fernandez fed Pedro Neto, who sent a low 25-yard shot past Raya to equalize.
Both teams pushed for a winner, with Arsenal looking particularly dangerous.
Mikel Merino had two close-range chances, almost connecting with crosses from Bukayo Saka and Odegaard, but Chelsea’s defence held firm.
As the clock ticked down, Arsenal came close to securing all three points. William Saliba’s cross nearly found Leandro Trossard, but the final whistle from referee Michael Oliver sealed a point apiece for the two London rivals.
Both clubs now sit tied on points as the season’s competition heats up.