{"id":248600,"date":"2024-11-10T23:25:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-10T23:25:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/11\/10\/neto-cancels-out-martinellis-opener-as-chelsea-and-arsenal-share-spoils-premier-league\/"},"modified":"2024-11-10T23:25:43","modified_gmt":"2024-11-10T23:25:43","slug":"neto-cancels-out-martinellis-opener-as-chelsea-and-arsenal-share-spoils-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/11\/10\/neto-cancels-out-martinellis-opener-as-chelsea-and-arsenal-share-spoils-premier-league\/","title":{"rendered":"Neto cancels out Martinelli\u2019s opener as Chelsea and Arsenal share spoils | Premier League"},"content":{"rendered":"

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There were people on the pitch, Chelsea substitutes to be precise, the joy of everyone connected to the club overflowing. Pedro Neto had produced the equaliser with a vicious low drive from distance and if it did not turn out to be the statement victory that Enzo Maresca and his players wanted \u2013 a first against a so-called Big Six rival \u2013 they could see the merit in a battling draw.<\/p>\n

For Arsenal, this was a better performance than some of those of late and yet it was not the result that Mikel Arteta had called for, the one to silence the noise that has built around his club. It was another example of them losing the lead in a big game \u2013 after the draws against Manchester City and Liverpool \u2013 and it meant they have not won in four Premier League games, a sequence that has yielded two points. They are now nine behind the leaders, Liverpool. Is it too much to recover?<\/p>\n

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At least they stopped the rot away from home after the losses at Bournemouth and Newcastle; in the Champions League at Inter on Wednesday night, too \u2013 all matches lost to nil.<\/p>\n

Arteta had claimed his team were playing better than they did during their difficult four-week period last season which started in early December. But, as he added, for it \u201cto be clear and relevant we have to win \u2026 especially to answer certain questions\u201d.<\/p>\n

Gabriel Martinelli gave them the promise of something glorious, \u00adfinishing with power after a pass from Martin \u00d8degaard, who returned to the starting XI in impressive style. The captain\u2019s fitness was something; he pushed and probed until the very last. Neto, though, would snatch it all away.<\/p>\n

Chelsea have been all about consistency of selection in the league under Maresca, although he had a decision to make at left-back. He went for Marc Cucurella over the club captain, Reece James, sticking with Malo Gusto at right-back. Maresca is no respecter of reputation.<\/p>\n

Cucurella versus Bukayo Saka was box office; it would end with him catching the Arsenal man with a late tackle in the 79th minute to force him off. Cucurella was booked. More broadly, he was a symbol of Chelsea\u2019s tenacity, emerging with honours.<\/p>\n

It was a fight for the right to play, full-blooded challenges throughout, including a scything Levi Colwill foul on Saka in the 21st minute, which sparked angry words between the benches. Colwill was booked. Mois\u00e9s Caicedo had a \u201cwelcome back\u201d barge for \u00d8degaard. Ben White got a yellow card for an off-the-ball swipe at Neto.<\/p>\n

Cole Palmer was a mixed bag but he pulled off one of his trademark moves on two occasions in the first half, allowing the ball to run across his body and flicking on the afterburners. He did it to \u00d8degaard at the outset before extending David Raya with a dipping shot. He did it to Thomas Partey before releasing Neto, whose cross was headed high by Noni\u00a0Madueke.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Bukayo Saka leaves the pitch after picking up an injury in the second half.<\/span> Photograph: Ryan Pierse\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chelsea\u2019s big chance of the first half came on 24 minutes when Neto went one way and then the other against White, making the room to cross. Gusto got in front of Martinelli but he could not direct the header.<\/p>\n

Arsenal, back to 4-3-3 after mainly being 4-4-2 without \u00d8degaard, had their moments before the interval \u2013 two huge ones, the first leaving Arteta beside himself with frustration. Saka forced the high turnover, blocking a Colwill pass out of defence. It was \u00d8degaard back to Saka and when his shot was blocked, the ball broke \u00adperfectly for Martinelli. He had to score \u2013 only to sidefoot weakly at Robert S\u00e1nchez.<\/p>\n

The fine margins were against Arsenal in the 33rd minute. Declan Rice spotted Kai Havertz in yards of space as he addressed a free-kick and so he took it quickly, fizzing the pass up to him. Havertz manoeuvred himself in front of Caicedo and prodded home only for the video assistant referee to see he was fractionally offside.<\/p>\n

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