Mikel Merino has rescued Arsenal as the English Premier League leaders battled to a 1-1 draw against 10-man Chelsea in a bad-tempered London derby.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off for a crude foul on Merino late in the first half at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
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Despite Caicedo’s dismissal, Trevoh Chalobah headed hosts Chelsea into a second-half lead. But Merino’s second-half leveller ensured Arsenal emerged with a point from a bruising encounter between the title rivals.
Arsenal are five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who beat Leeds United on Saturday, and sit six points above third-placed Chelsea.
When the dust had settled on a contest of relentless intensity, Arsenal were left to rue a missed opportunity to extend their lead over Chelsea in the title race, while the Blues were relieved to avoid a damaging defeat.
Arsenal remain the favourites to win their first Premier League crown since 2004, but Chelsea’s combative display suggested they could emerge as the biggest threat to the Gunners’ title aspirations.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions, winning 14 of those matches, while Chelsea have gone seven matches without losing in all competitions.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had played down his young side’s title hopes, but they went toe to toe with Arsenal, who were without injured centre back William Saliba.
A thunderous first half included a rash of bookings as both teams tried to impose themselves.
Gunners midfielder Martin Zubimendi hauled down Reece James; Chelsea left back Marc Cucurella crunched into Bukayo Saka; Cristhian Mosquera pole-axed Joao Pedro; and Riccardo Calafiori cynically tugged James.
Saka almost exacted immediate revenge on Cucurella with a stinging strike that Robert Sanchez saved at his near post.
Teenage sensation Estevao Willian started for Chelsea after his star role in their 3-0 midweek win over Barcelona.
The 18-year-old could not replicate his stunning goal against Barca, however, as he lashed over from 9 metres (30 feet) to squander Chelsea’s first serious chance.
Enzo Fernandez tested Arsenal keeper David Raya from the edge of the area as Chelsea began to exert pressure on the visitors’ reshuffled defence.
The war of attrition turned ugly in the 38th minute when Caicedo caught Merino on the ankle with a nasty foul that was upgraded from a booking to a dismissal after a VAR review.
It was the Blues’ sixth red card in all competitions this season.
The Ecuador midfielder’s premature exit was followed by a dangerous elbow from Piero Hincapie on Chalobah, provoking Chelsea cries for a red card that went unheeded.
Gabriel Martinelli nearly added to Chelsea’s angst on the stroke of half-time with a fierce blast that forced a fine save from Sanchez.
Arsenal arrived as the best set-piece team in the league with 10 goals in 12 matches.
But Chelsea ranked second with eight and Chalobah grabbed their ninth in the 48th minute.
It was a goal straight from the Arsenal playbook as James curled a corner to the near post and Chalobah rose highest inside the six-yard box to glance his header into the far corner.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta responded by sending on Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke, who was jeered and barraged with chants of “Chelsea reject” on his return to his former club.
The Arsenal changes reaped an instant reward as Merino snatched the 59th-minute equaliser.
Saka danced past Cucurella with a mesmerising run and cross, picking out Merino for a powerful close-range header that flashed past Sanchez.
It was Merino’s fourth goal this season as Arteta once again used the Spain midfielder as a makeshift striker.
A frantic finale featured Sanchez making superb stops to deny Saka and Merino, but Arsenal could not land the knockout blow.
Chelsea’s captain Reece James told Sky Sports that he was “disappointed” not to come away with the three points, and that the sending off limited his side.
“Arsenal have been on the top for the last few years. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Their midfield is tough. We’ve done what we could today to play our game and hurt them off the ball,” he said.
He added: “[Maresca] changed the formation slightly, and he knew they were going to come at us. So we tried to soak up the pressure, and then try to catch them [on the counter].
“I am proud of the boys. It was electric at the Bridge today. We are happy to take the point.”
Merino said Arsenal were also disappointed not to get the win.
When you wear this shirt, you want to win every game,” he told Sky Sports. “This is a really tough stadium to come and take a point. We could have done things better, but the team showed good mentality.”
Elsewhere on Sunday, Liverpool’s record signing Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for the Reds as the under-pressure football champions earned a much-needed 2-0 win at West Ham United.
Manchester United ended Crystal Palace’s nine-month unbeaten home run with a 2-1 comeback victory, Aston Villa climbed into the top four with a 1-0 victory over lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Brighton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest to go fifth.
