Review

Arsenal's late fightback preserves their unbeaten start

21 Oct 2023

Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard strike in the final quarter of an hour after Chelsea had deservedly led 2-0 at Stamford Bridge

Arsenal fought back with two late goals against Chelsea to preserve their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-2 draw at a wet Stamford Bridge.

See: How Arteta's changes turned tide against Chelsea

How it unfolded

Chelsea started the match in the west London rain brighter and took the lead from the penalty spot on the quarter-hour.

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Raheem Sterling crossed and Mykhailo Mudryk’s glancing header hit the outstretched hand of William Saliba. The penalty, awarded after a VAR review, was converted by Cole Palmer and was the first away goal Arsenal had conceded this season.

At the age of 21 years and 168 days, Palmer became the third-youngest player to score in back-to-back Premier League matches after Bukayo Saka (20y 230d) and Peter Ndlovu (21y 50d).

The summer signing from Manchester City was inches from making it two on the half-hour, with his shot fizzing past David Raya’s left post.

Arsenal were probably grateful to finish the first half at only a goal down, but 141 seconds after the start of the second they conceded a second.

They gave the ball away in the Chelsea half and Conor Gallagher broke before feeding Mudryk down the left. The winger heavily linked with Arsenal in the January transfer window looked to cross but the ball instead lobbed an advanced Raya for his first home goal for the club.

Palmer almost made it 3-0 after intercepting a poor Raya pass but the Arsenal goalkeeper redeemed himself by denying the Chelsea player.

Instead, a goalkeeper error was punished at the other end. Robert Sanchez’s misplaced pass was met first time by Declan Rice, who curled the ball into the far corner from 35 yards in the 77th minute against the club who released him as a teenager.

Seven minutes later, the scores were level. Saka crossed to the far post, where substitute Leandro Trossard volleyed in deftly with the outside of a boot. Trossard became the first Arsenal player to score his first three Premier League goals for the club as a substitute.

Arsenal almost snatched a winner a minute later as another substitute Eddie Nketiah was put through and shot narrowly wide.

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The Gunners, who could have ended the day top with a win, instead stay second behind leaders Man City on goal difference with 20 points. Chelsea rise to ninth with 12 points.