Moisés Caicedo was too pumped up before his rash red card but the Blues’ progress under Enzo Maresca is undeniable
This was the resumption of a bitter rivalry. It felt spicy from the moment Marc Cucurella sent Bukayo Saka flying with the first foul of the afternoon and, although it ended with Arsenal still dominant in first place, they will look at Chelsea’s defiant response to Moisés Caicedo’s reckless red card and conclude that Enzo Maresca’s young side will be coming for them in the future.
There were probably more reasons for Chelsea to feel positive at the end of this bruising 1-1 draw. Their dominance of Arsenal was once routine, back in the days when Didier Drogba would delight in dragging Philippe Senderos around Stamford Bridge, but the balance of power has shifted in recent years.
Chelsea, after all, have not come close to finishing above Arsenal since 2022. They have drifted away from the conversation at the top of the table and have needed their fans to stay patient after embarking on an extensive rebuild of their squad.
Arsenal have the stability. Mikel Arteta has stripped away the silliness that once held them back and it was hard not to fear for Chelsea when they were reduced to 10 men after 38 minutes of collisions, niggles and furious arguments over throw‑ins. It was their sixth red card of the season – seven if you throw in Maresca being sent from the touchline against Liverpool in October – and when it happened the widespread expectation was that Chelsea would again be made to regret their inability to stay calm under pressure.
