Given Arsenal’s away results against the top six in recent seasons, they wouldn’t have gone to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on Sunday with much hope of a positive result.
Yet, against a fierce rival who usually get the better of them, Arsene Wenger’s men put in a solid performance to hold out for a point, and they may rightly feel that they could have gotten more.
But despite Chelsea’s David Luiz getting sent off late in the game, Arsenal couldn’t take advantage. However, a point against the champions was more than most Gunners fans would have expected, so a 0-0 draw was a creditable result.
Here are seven deadly stats from the game…
FABREGAS SHINING AGAINST HIS OLD TEAM
As expected, Chelsea started on the front foot, looking to expose any Arsenal frailties, and former Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas provided the impetus against his former team.
Last year, he scored in the corresponding fixture, but Fabregas’ value has always been in creating chances for his teammates, and at the start of this game he was at his usual best on that front.
Chelsea should have been 1-0 up after the Spaniard slipped in a perfect through ball for Pedro, only for the forward to fail to take the ball in stride to set himself up for a proper shot.
ARSENAL DOMINANT BEFORE THE BREAK
Given Arsenal’s usual away performances against the top six, the way they played in the first half was impressive – and the way they ended it, even more so. Chelsea may prefer a counterattacking game but make no mistake, Arsenal had their hosts hemmed in over the last 15 minutes of the first half.
NOT A DAY FOR THE STRIKERS
Sunday’s match offered a head-to-head matchup between two strikers signed for big money in the summer, but neither Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette or Chelsea’s Alvaro Morata made much of an impression on the game.
Indeed, both failed to complete 90 minutes, although there were mitigating circumstances with both substitutions. Arsene Wenger’s decision to take off Lacazette when bringing on Sanchez was baffling, while Morata was sacrificed when Chelsea went down to ten men.
ARSENAL MAKE CHELSEA SEE RED
There used to be a running theme for Arsenal games against Chelsea (and indeed, Manchester United) – the Gunners always let their frustrations get the better of them, and an Arsenal player would get sent off.
Against Chelsea, at least, the boot seems to be on the other foot now, with Luiz the latest player to see red in this particular London derby.
A RARE CLEAN SHEET FOR THE GUNNERS
Arsenal avoiding defeat in an away game against the top six is rare, but not conceding a goal is rarer still. Especially against Chelsea.
Even in Arsenal’s last win at Stamford Bridge, they conceded three times. So while they would have felt that Sunday’s game was winnable, based on their performance, just keeping a clean sheet was a bonus.
ALL-OR-NOTHING CHELSEA FIND MIDDLE GROUND
Chelsea lost two games at home last season in the league, winning 16. This season they’d lost one and won one, before Sunday.
The running theme? Antonio Conte had never seen his team draw a game at home in the league. Until Sunday.
BAKAYOKO SHOWS PROMISE IN CAMEO
Tiemoue Bakayoko has had a stop-start beginning to his Chelsea career as he looks to build match fitness, but the midfielder has shown the flashes of talent that made the Premier League champions sign him this summer.
After coming on at halftime for the misfiring Pedro, the former Monaco midfielder put in an all-action display to help Chelsea retake control of midfield.