FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE - Arsenal preseved their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a late 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Saturday.
The Blues were good value for a two-goal lead until the game's latter stages but shot themselves in the foot to gift the Gunners a route back into the contest.
Mikel Arteta's side were lacklustre for the majority of the evening at Stamford Bridge but demonstrated a steely mental resilience to fight back and earn a point.
How the game unfolded
Chelsea came flying out of the blocks and forced Oleksandr Zinchenko into forfeiting possession in his own box within the first minute, with Enzo Fernandez eventually curling a shot narrowly over.
The hosts were incensed that they weren't awarded a penalty soon after when a cross struck the arm of William Saliba. However, following a VAR check, referee Chris Kavanagh gave the Blues a spot kick. Cole Palmer stepped up and sent David Raya the wrong way to open the scoring.
Arsenal's first half-chance came and went when Declan Rice roamed forward into the space vacated by right-back Malo Gusto, but his outside-of-the-boot cross was far too strong for Gabriel Jesus to meet at the far post.
Chelsea were looking a threat on the counter attack. Conor Gallagher managed to weave his way between a few trailing Arsenal bodies and play through Palmer, who was able to swivel and fire from the edge of the box, dragging his effort just wide.
Just after the break, Chelsea doubled their lead. Martin Odegaard cheaply gave away the ball and the hosts were able to break, with the ball eventually being shifted to Mykhailo Mudryk down the left, and his deep cross flummoxed Raya and sailed into the far corner.
Raya was fortunate not to have gifted Chelsea their third of the evening when he passed straight to Palmer, recovering to claw away the resulting close-range shot from the forward.
As it looked like Chelsea were cruising to victory, Arsenal pulled a goal back in the last 15 minutes. Sanchez skewed a clearance straight to Rice, who slotted into an empty net from 30 yards.
And not before too long, the Gunners were level. Bukayo Saka - who to this point had been shut out of the game by Marc Cucurella - whipped in a wonderful deep cross to the back post, with substitute Leandro Trossard converting to send the away end wild.
Neither side could mount another significant attack to find a winner and the spoils were shared.
Chelsea player ratings (4-4-2)
GK: Robert Sanchez - 3/10 - Flapped at a couple of crosses and cleared out Jesus when failing to grasp another before gifting Rice a goal.
RB: Malo Gusto - 4/10 - A little shaky when on the ball in his own half but enjoyed galloping down the flank when the chance afforded him. Only briefly beaten by Martinelli in a short spell after half-time but was crucially outdone by Trossard later on.
CB: Thiago Silva - 7/10 - The veteran's alarming lack of pace looked as though it would threaten Chelsea's chances early on, but he stood tall when they played deeper and could sit in.
CB: Levi Colwill - 5/10 - Guilty of playing into Arsenal's press on occasion but was fine enough defensively.
LB: Marc Cucurella - 7/10 - His best performance in a Chelsea shirt. Shut down Saka for the most part, though detractors will claim he should have got tighter to the winger for Trossard's equaliser.
RM: Raheem Sterling - 7/10 - Had great fun driving at Arsenal as an orthodox winger. A calm, senior head guiding a young frontline.
CM: Moises Caicedo - 6/10 - Like Colwill and Gusto was a bit unsure in possession, but was industrious and busy in the middle of the park.
CM: Enzo Fernandez - 5/10 - Tried but largely failed to create magic between the lines. More useful when advancing the ball from deep.
LM: Mykhailo Mudryk - 7/10 - A touch of fortune about the goal for sure but the Ukrainian's confidence is building week on week. Gave Arsenal's backline headaches with his pace and trickery.
CF: Conor Gallagher - 7/10 - Spent much of the evening as the highest Chelsea player on the pitch. Did well to support Palmer, making runs off the back and bringing him the ball at varying points.
CF: Cole Palmer - 8/10 - Whether acting as a traditional centre forward or a false nine, Palmer pulled Arsenal to-and-fro.
Substitutes
SUB: Nicolas Jackson (65' for Mudryk) - 5/10
SUB: Noni Madueke (83' for Sterling) - 5/10
SUB: Reece James (83' for Palmer) - 5/10
Subs not used: Djordje Petrovic (GK), Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Ian Maatsen, Lesley Ugochukwu, Deivid Washington
Manager
Mauricio Pochettino - 7/10 - Chelsea showed real signs of progress but were undone at the last by individual errors.
Arsenal player ratings (4-3-3)
GK: David Raya - 3/10 - Beaten too easily on Mudryk's cross and an extreme net negative on the ball.
RB: Ben White - 5/10 - Burned by Mudryk for pace on occasion but was hardly self-destructive like some of his teammates.
CB: William Saliba - 4/10 - Perhaps the handball call was a little harsh, but he should know not to leave his arms out so wide in the box on a cross. Struggled to cope with Chelsea's forwards at times.
CB: Gabriel - 6/10 - In a bit of bother when dealing with Palmer but was otherwise fine.
LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko - 4/10 - Came infield when in possession but offered little defensive support out of it. Replaced by Tomiyasu at half-time.
CM: Jorginho - 4/10 - An unhappy first return to Stamford Bridge. Was unable to open up his former side and was too safe in possession.
CM: Declan Rice - 7/10 - Kick-started the Arsenal fightback with a fine finish from range when afforded the chance. Arsenal's busiest midfielder due to Jorginho and Odegaard's reluctance to do pretty much anything.
CM: Martin Odegaard - 3/10 - Arsenal's captain did not lead by example. Shirked responsibilities when Arsenal tried to control the game and gave the ball away carelessly.
RW: Bukayo Saka - 7/10 - Clamped down by Cucurella for the most part before reminding everyone of his quality with a stunning cross for Trossard.
CF: Gabriel Jesus - 5/10 - Hustled and bustled his way across the frontline in search of service but was starved of it for the most part.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli - 5/10 - Tried his hardest to get a yard of space on his flank but he was quickly surrounded by Chelsea bodies.
Substitutes
SUB: Takehiro Tomiyasu (46' for Zinchenko) - 5/10 - A little more steady than Zinchenko, but not by a wide margin.
SUB: Eddie Nketiah (68' for Jesus) - 5/10
SUB: Emile Smith Rowe (68' for Jorginho) - 6/10
SUB: Kai Havertz (78' for Odegaard) - 6/10
SUB: Leandro Trossard (78' for Martinelli) - 8/10
Subs not used: Karl Hein (GK), Jakub Kiwior, Thomas Partey, Reiss Nelson
Manager
Mikel Arteta - 6/10 - Arsenal were let off the hook for a very poor opening 75 minutes, but they showed their mental strength with a late rally.
Player of the match - Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
This article was originally published on 90min as Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal: Player ratings as Gunners mount late comeback.
