Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea: Premier League highlights and recap

Arsenal and Chelsea drew 2-2 at the Emirates on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Here are all the highlights from the Premier League match.

Chelsea and Arsenal played out a wild 2-2 draw at the Emirates on Wednesday in an entertaining, end-to-end contest that easily could have seen several more goals, but for inspired goalkeeping from Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois, and the profligate finishing of Alvaro Morata.

Chelsea controlled possession in the opening stages, but Arsenal grew into the game thanks to their speed and quality on the counter-attack. Mesut Ozil was particularly impressive, and was at the center of all of his side’s best moves in the first half.

The best chance early on fell to Morata, who was allowed to run clean through on goal when Calum Chambers and Shkodran Mustafi failed to pick him up and Cech stayed rooted to his line. Arsenal were hugely fortunate the Spaniard missed wide right.

Other than that moment of stupidity, Arsenal were marginally better. Alexis Sanchez went closest, but his 23rd-minute toe poke was tipped onto one post (and then bounced off the other) by Courtois, while Alexandre Lacazette also forced a good save from the Belgian keeper.

The Gunners also had a decent penalty shout denied shortly before Sanchez’s effort hit both posts. Ainsley Maitland-Niles went to ground after he was clipped by Victor Moses, but referee Anthony Taylor deemed the contact to be incidental.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Both sides were willing to commit numbers forward in attack, and some questionable defending meant a steady stream of chances for both sides.

The home side finally opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, Jack Wilshere lashing into the roof of the net after Rob Holding’s pass deflected off N’Golo Kante into his path. It was a superb finish from a player who is out of contract in the summer.

The lead barely lasted three minutes, however, as Chelsea were awarded a penalty when Hector Bellerin kicked Hazard in the box. It was perhaps soft, and Hazard went to ground very easily, but there was no question he got kicked.

With the game seemingly headed for a draw, Marcos Alonso put Chelsea ahead in the 84th minute, turning in Davide Zappacosta’s cross after Mustafi failed to pick up his run. It was harsh on Arsenal, but another example of their defensive lapses costing them.

The Gunners responded impressively, however, and Hector Bellerin pulled them level in stoppage time, placing an excellent half volley past Courtois from the top of the box. Still, Arsenal almost threw it away, but again Morata couldn’t finish when through on goal.

Next: The best player of all time on every Premier League team

Highlights

https://twitter.com/HarrythfcGeorge/status/948647216666808320

Arsenal stay in sixth place following the draw, a point behind Tottenham, while Chelsea pull within a point of second-place Manchester United.