Arsenal's Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino heads home against Chelsea, 2025. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
Ten-man Chelsea held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in a highly charged top-of-the-table London derby, Mikel Merino cancelling out Trevoh Chalobah's Chelsea opener to spare the Premier League leaders' blushes.
Chelsea were already a man down when defender Chalobah flicked a header into the net from a pinpoint corner by captain Reece James three minutes after the break.
Moises Caicedo had been sent off in the 38th minute after a VAR check for landing a crunching tackle on Merino's ankle.
Arsenal replied when Merino rose to meet a Bukayo Saka cross in the 59th minute.
Arsenal sit five points clear at the top of the table on 30 points ahead of Manchester City with Chelsea third on 24.
Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool as the champions snapped a woeful run of form with a much-needed 2-0 win at West Ham United.
Liverpool's victory, only their second in eight league games, moved them up to eighth with 21 points from 13 games, while West Ham are 17th with 11 points, level with 18th-placed Leeds United.
Goals by Maxim De Cuyper and Stefanos Tzimas gave Brighton & Hove Albion a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, a result that moved Fabian Huerzeler's side to fifth place in the Premier League.
Forest, who are still without Chris Wood who is recovering from a knee injury, are 16th on the table with 12 points.
A superb strike from Boubacar Kamara earned Aston Villa a 1-0 victory over bottom of the table Wolverhampton Wanderers and moved the hosts up to fourth.
Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount struck in the second half as Ruben Amorim's men battled back for a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, ending the hosts' nine-month unbeaten Premier League run at Selhurst Park.
United, who tasted victory for only the second time in their last 12 away games, climbed above Palace into seventh on the table on 21 points as Oliver Glasner's team dropped to ninth on 20.
- Reuters
