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Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea: penalty missed by Jorginho helps Arteta to a vital victory
Mikel Arteta pulled off a much-needed victory to ease the mounting pressure somewhat, with Arsenal surviving a late scare against Chelsea.
Arsenal survived a late scare to end their Premier League winless streak when Mikel Arteta’s much-maligned side claimed a deserved 3-1 victory over Chelsea.
The Gunners headed to the Boxing Day clash at the Emirates Stadium having lost five of their last seven Premier League matches, but were worthy winners against Frank Lampard’s ill-fated team to mark the one-year anniversary of Arteta’s first game a stylish cargo.
Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty put Arsenal ahead in a league game for the first time since a win over Manchester United on 1 November, and an impressive free kick by Granit Xhaka doubled their tally.
Bukayo Saka embarrassed Edouard Mendy early in the second half, however, after Tammy Abraham’s goal awarded by VAR, Arsenal finally had to rely on Bernd Leno’s save from Jorginho’s penalty to avoid a nervous shot.
That meant Chelsea were doomed to a third loss in four league games.
Saka set the tone early on, getting behind and across for Gabriel Martinelli, who threw a wide volley.
Chelsea appeared to have asserted authority when Mason Mount’s free kick hit the post, but Arsenal took the lead in the 34th minute as Lacazette sent Mendy the wrong way from the spot after Reece James fouled Kieran Tierney.
While Lacazette became Arsenal’s leading scorer, the Gunners’ second came from an unlikely source: Xhaka threw a sublime 25-yard free throw at the edge of the break.
3 – Granit Xhaka has scored three direct free kick goals for Arsenal in the Premier League, second only to Thierry Henry (12), Alexis Sánchez (5) and Robin van Persie (5). Technique.
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 26, 2020
Lampard introduced Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jorginho at half-time, but it was Arsenal that scored again 11 minutes after the restart.
Having cut into the area, Saka saw Mendy off his line, and floated in a bold, perhaps accidental, effort to the left vertical.
Three key saves by Mendy denied Arsenal a fourth, before Mohamed Elneny hit the crossbar.
Chelsea made his fortune when Abraham placed his chest in the Hudson-Odoi center, and Arsenal’s nerves strained when Pablo Mari dropped Mount in the area.
However, Jorginho, who has now missed two of his last four penalties, failed to finish on a grandstand: Leno lunged to his left to hold on to a weak shot.
What does that mean? Belated Christmas cheer for Arteta
With Gabriel isolated due to close contact with COVID-19, David Luiz and Willian sick, although the duo tested negative for coronavirus, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was deemed not fit enough to start, Arteta was almost forced to trust the inexperience on Saturday.
It paid off comprehensively: Saka and Martinelli were supreme on both flanks, while Smith Rowe created two chances, including assisting for Arsenal’s third goal, in a free role against Lacazette. The Gunners are now up one spot to 14th, while Chelsea is sixth.
Arsenal take aim at the Blues from a distance
With his magnificent effort, Xhaka became the first Arsenal player to score a direct free kick against Chelsea in the Premier League since Thierry Henry in December 2004.
Arsenal have also scored 13 Premier League goals from outside the box against Chelsea; no team has scored more in the competition (also 13 against Southampton).
As for Xhaka, no Arsenal player had more passes (44), completes (34), Chelsea half passes (26) or touches (55) than him.
COME ON!
Three goals. Three points.# ASS pic.twitter.com/g0i5kKgO3j
– Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 26, 2020
Werner’s struggles compounded by early departure
Lampard has always supported Timo Werner, despite the German international’s recent struggles in front of goal. However, after an insipid first-half display in which he made two attempts on goal, neither of them found the goal, and made a key pass, the striker was retired at half-time.
Werner has failed to score in his last 10 games in all competitions, his longest drought since a 12-game streak between March and September 2016 at the spells in Stuttgart and RB Leipzig.
Opta Key Statistics:
– Arsenal have won each of their last 10 Premier League home games on Boxing Day, the second-best streak in the competition’s history after Manchester United won 12 in a row between 1997 and 2016.
– The Gunners recorded their first win in eight Premier League games, and their first for the Emirates since a 2-1 win over Sheffield United in October (D1 L4).
– Chelsea have lost each of their last three Premier League away games, their worst streak since February 2019.
– Arsenal scored more than once during the first half of a Premier League match for the first time this season, leading by at least two goals in the interval for the first time since a 3-2 win over Watford in July.
– Since the start of last season, Abraham (21) has scored more than twice as many Premier League goals for Chelsea as any of his teammates (Giroud, Pulisic, 10).
– Of all Arsenal players who have scored at least five Premier League goals, Xhaka has scored the highest proportion from outside the area (78 percent: 7/9).
Whats Next?
Arsenal will face teammates Brighton and Hove Albion in three days, while Chelsea will look to bounce back when they host Aston Villa in form on Monday.
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