Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed pride in his team’s resilience after securing a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, despite a growing injury list and fatigue from a demanding week.
Mikel Merino’s 59th-minute equaliser rescued a point for the league leaders, who were pushed to the limit by a determined Chelsea side. The hosts continued to battle even after Moises Caicedo’s 38th-minute dismissal and took the lead early in the second half through Trevoh Chalobah’s header.
Arsenal were forced to start the match without key centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes for the first time this season, while Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard were unavailable or only fit enough for the bench. Arteta highlighted the difficulty of the circumstances following an intense seven-day stretch that included a derby win over Tottenham and a Champions League victory against Bayern Munich.
Arteta admitted the team felt they had enough chances to win but stressed the importance of earning respect for their performance under pressure. Saliba’s fitness remains a concern ahead of the upcoming fixture against Brentford.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged Caicedo’s red card but questioned inconsistencies in refereeing decisions, pointing to past incidents involving opponents. He also voiced frustration over Piero Hincapie’s challenge on Chalobah, which resulted in only a yellow card despite visible injury.
Maresca praised Reece James’ performance in midfield but confirmed the player is unlikely to feature against Leeds due to ongoing fitness management.
