Chelsea vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action from Stamford Bridge
Bukayo Saka banished his Euro 2020 final penalty shoot-out ghosts by converting a spot-kick as Arsenal toppled Chelsea 4-2 to reignite their bid for a top-four Premier League finish.
The England forward slotted home his first-ever penalty for Arsenal to seal the Gunners’ vital win over the Blues, that drew Mikel Arteta’s men level with fourth-placed Tottenham in the table.
Saka missed the last penalty in England’s 3-2 shoot-out defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley last July.
The 20-year-old won the late spot-kick at Stamford Bridge by drawing a foul from Cesar Azpilicueta, and quickly insisted on taking the penalty himself.
Saka dismissed any nerves by side-footing home to boot, to put the seal on a crucial win for the Gunners.
Eddie Nketiah had twice seized upon slipshod defending to drive Arsenal into a 3-2 lead before Saka’s strike.
Nketiah capitalised on Andreas Christensen’s woefully under-hit back-pass for his first Arsenal goal in 367 days, to open the scoring in west London.
The 22-year-old forward later settled a scrappy but engrossing contest when three attempted Chelsea clearances landed the ball straight into his path and through on goal.
Timo Werner’s deflected effort had Chelsea level quickly after Nketiah’s first goal, with captain Azpilicueta then cancelling out a fine finish from Emile Smith Rowe before half-time.
The fatigued and off-kilter Blues were made to pay for a string of errors however, with £98million striker Romelu Lukaku again failing to fire.
Toni Rudiger’s absence with a minor groin problem destabilised Chelsea’s defence, and Christensen endured a night to forget.
The Denmark international was withdrawn at half-time in a below-par showing, but not even the peerless Thiago Silva could sharpen up the hosts.
Arsenal took full advantage of Chelsea’s malaise to notch just their second win in six league matches, breaking a wretched run of results to move below Spurs on goal difference, leaving the race to finish fourth wide open.
Relive all the action live below:
GOAL! Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal (Azpilicueta, 32’)⚽️
32 mins: It came sooner than I thought it would but Chelsea equalise for the second time! Marcos Alonso sends a throw in on the left side to Mason Mount who is dispossessed by Ben White. White then loses the ball to a pressing Timo Werner who prods it back to Mount. He swings a cross into the near post where Cesar Azpilicueta pops up to turn the ball into the back of the net!
Chelsea 1 - 2 Arsenal
30 mins: Half an hour played at Stamford Bridge and this game is developing nicely. Chelsea remain threatening in possession and Arsenal have made a couple of mistakes at the back - with Rob Holding in particular struggling to get up to the pace of the match.
There are definitely more goals in this game.
GOAL! Chelsea 1 - 2 Arsenal (Smith Rowe, 27’)⚽️
27 mins: Arsenal are back in front! Some messy defending from Rob Holding isn’t punished by Chelsea and Granit Xhaka manages to run the ball out from inside his own box. He threads it up to Martin Odegaard who once more slips Bukayo Saka into space on the right. Saka brings the ball up to the box and gives it back to Odegaard who lays off a first touch pass for Emile Smith Rowe to run onto. He meets the ball 18-yards out from goal and sidefoots his effort into the far bottom corner! Lovely finish from Arsenal’s leading goalscorer.
Chelsea 1 - 1 Arsenal
24 mins: Nice footwork from Bukayo Saka who is played down the line by Martin Odegaard. He carries the ball up the pitch and into the box before taking on Marcos Alonso and weaving around the left-back. Saka passes the ball into Eddie Nketiah but he fires his chance wide of the target.
Chelsea 1 - 1 Arsenal
21 mins: It’s been a decent contest so far with Chelsea probably edging things in terms of possession and chances created. Nuno Tavares and Mason Mount come together on Chelsea’s right side with the Arsenal man seemingly coming off worse. He lets out a scream and rolls around on the floor before Mount ‘politely’ tells him to get up.
GOAL! Chelsea 1 - 1 Arsenal (Werner, 18’)⚽️
18 mins: Arsenal’s lead didn’t last long. Timo Werner collects the ball on the left wing and darts inside. The Gunners drop off him and allow him space to shoot. He does so from just outside the box and the effort deflects off Granit Xhaka, narrowly evades the leaping Aaron Ramsdale and finishes in the back of the net. Chelsea are level.
Chelsea 0 - 1 Arsenal
15 mins: It was a great finish from Nketiah who was selected ahead of Alexandre Lacazette this evening. The 22-year-old has been vocal in wanting to play more for the Gunners and he’s repaying Mikel Arteta’s faith in him tonight.
GOAL! Chelsea 0 - 1 Arsenal (Nketiah, 13’)⚽️
13 mins: It’s a shocker from Andreas Christensen and Arsenal take the lead! The ball is chipped down the left side for Eddie Nketiah to chase down. Christensen does well initially to get across and beat him to the ball but under pressure from the striker scuffs his pass back and leaves the ball for Nketiah to run onto. He shifts it in front of Malang Sarr and coolly nestles his shot past Edouard Mendy to find the near bottom corner!
Chelsea 0 - 0 Arsenal
12 mins: Rob Holding gets lucky after giving the ball away to Romelu Lukaku. He lays it off to Mason Mount who underhits a through ball for Timo Werner and allows Arsenal to get back into shape quickly. Werner runs into trouble and passes the ball back to N’Golo Kante who hass no options ahead of him and has to retreat.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Arsenal
9 mins: Gabriel stays up the pitch after an Arsenal set piece is cleared out of the Chelsea box. It’s recovered by Granit Xhaka who dinks the ball into the area and plays in the defender. Gabriel takes the ball to the byline before squaring it into the six-yard box and sending it into the arms of Edouard Mendy.
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