Arsenal stand poised to reduce their deficit to Premier League leaders Liverpool to 12 points with a game in hand, with the Gunners 1-0 against Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea at half-time at the Emirates.
As is often the case it’s been a feisty London derby so far between two Premier League rivals, with Arsenal second in the league and Chelsea just six points off them in fourth.
Mikel Arteta has the benefit of bringing back several of the stars he rested for the midweek draw with PSV in the Champions League, as Arsenal chase their first league win for a month, while the Blues are missing the out-of-form but still key figure of Cole Palmer, who has been ruled out with an injury.
Chelsea arrive with confidence, however, on a run of four successive wins in all competitions after knocking out FC Copenhagen in the Europa Conference League in midweek, and Enzo Maresca’s side will believe they can cause a shock at the home of their old enemy.
Follow all the latest updates from Arsenal v Chelsea below.
Nkunku, Martinelli replaced
78 mins: Subs for both sides, as Dewsbury-Hall and George replace Sancho and Nkunku, who have been effectively neutralised today.
Nwaneri, playing his last game for Arsenal as a 17-year-old, comes on for Martinelli, who is clutching his lower back after a meaty challenge by Cucurella right in front of a furious Arteta. The change looked planned, rather than in response to that challenge.
Arsenal struggling to build on their one-goal lead
73 mins: That foul on Lewis-Skelly wins Arsenal a free kick in a dangerous position just to the left of the 18-yard box. Odegaard and Rice stand poised to take it, and there’s a long build-up as both sides faff over the wall and whether Martinelli is blocking Sanchez’s view.
All that drama, and for naught, as Rice clatters it into the backside of a Chelsea player, before it ricochets out for a corner.
Arsenal are looking a little toothless at the moment. Martinelli nods Rice’s delivery wide of the back post.
Sparks fly at the Emirates
70 mins: Lots of needle in this second half, as Odegaard is the latest to see yellow for stopping a Cucurella counter. That makes six bookings so far (and significantly more dramatic falls to the turf looking for one).
Partey, among the yellows, goes in late on Caicedo but escapes further punishment.
The game feels very finely balanced at the moment. Lewis-Skelly makes a brilliant run into the box and gets brought down by none other than Fofana…
CHANCE! Odegaard misses opportunity to put Gunners 1-0 up
65 mins: Rice clears a Chelsea corner but they keep coming as Neto has another go – and they can’t make the most of this one either.
Meanwhile, the goal replay system indicates that Merino’s latest effort – punched away by Sanchez – was just millimetres away from crossing the goal line. A lucky escape for the visitors.
Rice pulls it back for Odegaard in the box, but his low shot is stopped by Sanchez.
CHANCE! Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
60 mins: Neto ducks and darts between a couple of Arsenal players but curls his long-range effort wide.
More yellows as first Partey and eventually Fofana go into the book – Fofana for throwing another ball onto the pitch to delay the restart. With a more trigger-happy ref he could have collected multiple yellows by now.
Arsenal break and Merino nearly has a second but volleys straight at Sanchez! It’s a neat stop by the keeper.
Yellow cards fly as derby heats up: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
56 mins: Arsenal win another corner but Rice’s delivery is headed away as Neto counter-attacks – but that’s snuffed out quickly by Timber.
Gabriel is the next to go into the book for a late challenge on James, who hits the deck. This game is starting to get a little scrappy.
YELLOW CARD: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
52 mins: Fofana, who was lucky to escape a booking for that nasty challenge on Rice in the first half, should see yellow for a pullback on Trossard – but it instead goes to Pedro Neto for backchat to the referee.
Second half: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
47 mins: Back underway at the Emirates, with no changes made to either side – something of a surprise for the visitors.
Odegaard stands poised over a first corner of the second half… but it’s easily cleared by Nkunku at the near post.
First-half highlights
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
Half-time at the Emirates and Arsenal are deservedly ahead – but only just.
After a brilliant opening spell of pressure the Gunners broke the deadlock courtesy of their speciality, the set-piece goal, with Merino again the hero as he headed home an Odegaard delivery from the corner.
But Chelsea grew into the first half and it’s likely Arteta will be happier than his counterpart Maresca to hear the half-time whistles. Both managers might need a word with their goalkeepers, who have had a bit of a howler so far, with Raya lucky that Cucurella’s attempt rolled wide after he mishandled it.