To put the scale of this shock result into some sort of context, Arsenal had been able to score four goals in their previous 10 Premier League matches – a sequence that had brought them five points. It had the club mired in their worst start to a season since 1974-75 and the manager, Mikel Arteta, in crisis. One of the big pre-match questions asked whether Arsenal were in a relegation battle.
This was a restorative result and performance, with Arteta’s bold team selection returning a rich dividend. He gave first league appearances of the season to Pablo Marí and Emile Smith Rowe and a first start in the competition this time out to Gabriel Martinelli. Smith Rowe emerged with honours, driving from his No 10 role.
Written by David Hytner at the Emirates Stadium
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/dec/26/arsenal-chelsea-premier-league-match-report under the title “Arsenal relieve pressure on manager Mikel Arteta with win over Chelsea”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
