Both teams had opened the campaign with two victories, adding further intrigue to the meeting at the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea started the stronger, but Arsenal were not unsettled by the early setback. Instead, they gradually took control and created the higher-quality chances over the course of the 90 minutes.
Chelsea new boy Rogers strikes after lightning start
Chelsea needed just 77 seconds to take the lead. Arsenal failed to properly clear a free-kick, Jorrel Hato kept the ball alive with a header and summer signing Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea from Aston Villa, converted with his first touch to make it 1-0.
Arsenal responded quickly and there was controversy just a few minutes later following a set-piece. Gabriel caught Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in the face with his boot as both challenged for the ball. The incident was reviewed but no disciplinary action followed.
In the 12th minute, Arsenal thought they had equalised. Martínez pushed Gabriel’s effort onto the post before Riccardo Calafiori turned in the rebound. However, Ezri Konsa had been offside earlier in the move and the goal was ruled out after a VAR review.
Havertz rewards Arsenal’s strong response
By that stage, Arsenal had already taken control of the contest. Chelsea defended compactly and looked to break quickly after turnovers, but the visitors found it increasingly difficult to keep the Gunners away from their own penalty area.
The pressure finally paid off in the 25th minute. Havertz received the ball on the right, cut inside and fired a low left-footed effort inside the near post. The former Chelsea player had brought Arsenal level against his old club.
The hosts remained on top afterwards, although they were given a warning shortly before half-time. Pedro Neto found space on the right following a quick Chelsea counter-attack but could only strike the post. Instead of regaining the lead, the visitors went into the interval level at 1-1.
Ødegaard completes the turnaround
Arsenal needed only five minutes after the restart to turn the game around completely. A slick move down the left opened up Chelsea’s defence, Havertz intelligently allowed the low cross to run through and Ødegaard suddenly found himself in space in the middle. The Arsenal captain made no mistake and finished for 2-1.
Although possession was largely even and Chelsea repeatedly managed to advance towards Arsenal’s penalty area, the genuinely dangerous moments belonged mostly to the hosts.
The quality of the chances underlined that difference. Arsenal finished with an expected goals figure of 2.11 compared to just 0.35 for Chelsea. The contrast was even clearer inside the penalty area, where the Gunners recorded 45 touches to Chelsea’s 25. Arsenal therefore not only produced the more threatening efforts, but also managed to establish themselves in dangerous areas much more frequently.
Chelsea push hard for a late equaliser
The derby was far from over. Chelsea became increasingly adventurous as the match wore on and pushed Arsenal deeper during the final 15 minutes. That inevitably left spaces at the other end, although the champions were unable to exploit them and put the game beyond doubt.
Martínez kept Chelsea alive with a number of important saves, including one to deny Bukayo Saka a third Arsenal goal. It meant Xabi Alonso’s side still had a major opportunity to equalise late on.
Substitute Estêvão went close in the 89th minute with a curling effort heading towards the top corner, but David Raya reacted superbly to tip the ball over the bar. Arsenal then saw out the remaining minutes to secure all three points.
Havertz had played a decisive role in both goals. He scored the equaliser himself before deliberately allowing the cross to run through for Ødegaard’s winner. Since joining Arsenal, the German has now scored four goals in seven competitive appearances against his former club.
Perfect start to the season for Arsenal
The recent history of this London derby now also speaks very clearly in Arsenal’s favour. The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 12 competitive meetings with Chelsea, extending a run that has increasingly tilted the rivalry their way in recent years.
There was one blemish on the afternoon: Rogers’ early strike was the first goal Arsenal have conceded in this Premier League campaign, after Mikel Arteta’s side had kept clean sheets in each of their opening two matches.
It did nothing to spoil their perfect start. Arsenal have won all three of their Premier League games and sit on nine points. Manchester City are the only other team to have taken maximum points from the opening three rounds.
Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat of the season after beginning with two wins and remain on six points. The Blues showed, particularly in the opening stages and late in the game, why expectations are higher again this season. Across the full 90 minutes, however, Arsenal were the more composed and more dangerous side and deservedly claimed their third league victory in succession.
