Chelsea’s English midfielder #17 Morgan Rogers (R) celebrates scoring the team’s first goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 6, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Xabi Alonso urged Chelsea to use their 2-1 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday as a valuable lesson in the race to catch the Premier League champions.
Blues boss Alonso had presided over free-scoring wins against Fulham and Brighton in the top-flight and Luton in the League Cup.
But Arsenal, who have won their opening three games, inevitably proved a far more formidable opponent in a pulsating London derby at the Emirates Stadium.
Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead after just 77 seconds but Kai Havertz equalised in the first half and Martin Odegaard bagged Arsenal’s winner after the interval.
