Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea: Set-Piece Power Sends Gunners Five Points Clear

Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, scoring twice from corners and benefiting from a red card to Pedro Neto.

William Saliba opened the scoring in the 21st minute again from a set-piece.

Bukayo Saka’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Gabriel at the far post, and Saliba’s attempt to guide it home took a significant deflection off Sarr before finding the net. It was Saliba’s first league goal of the season.

Chelsea levelled in first-half stoppage time through an own goal by Piero Hincapié. Reece James delivered a corner that flicked off the defender’s head and drifted beyond David Raya into the far corner, with the goalkeeper unable to recover. The equaliser ensured it was 1-1 at the break.

Arsenal regained the lead in the 66th minute, and it came in familiar fashion.

Declan Rice’s deep delivery exposed Robert Sánchez, who failed to claim, and Jurrien Timber reacted quickest inside the six-yard box to head home from close range.

The precision of Arsenal’s set-piece routines once again proved decisive.

Chelsea’s task became harder four minutes later when Pedro Neto was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Gabriel Martinelli near the touchline.

The dismissal means seven different Chelsea players have been sent off in the Premier League this season a tally only surpassed by Sunderland in 2009-10 and Leicester City in 1994-95.

Chelsea thought they had rescued a point in stoppage time when Liam Delap turned in after Raya had clawed away Pedro’s initial effort, but the offside flag cut short the celebrations.

The result means Arsenal have now won four consecutive home league games against Chelsea for the first time since 1994 and have lost just one of their last 26 Premier League London derbies.

Their 16 goals from corners this season equal the highest total recorded in a single Premier League campaign matching Oldham (1992-93), West Brom (2016-17) and Arsenal themselves (2023-24).

Chelsea remain sixth, three points behind Liverpool in the final Champions League qualification spot, while Arsenal sit top with Manchester City holding a game in hand.

The match capped a weekend that produced 36 Premier League goals the highest total of the season so far.