Jorginho howler as Tuchel’s Blues stumble to rare defeat.

22/05/2021 | Categories: Football | Published by: AC

Updated: 09/10/2024

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EPL Matchday 36 of 38

Chelsea 0 Arsenal 1 – Stamford Bridge – Wednesday, 12 may 2021

Chelsea were deprived of cementing their place in the Top Four of the Premier League when they were beaten 0-1 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

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As expected, Thomas Tuchel's men began in dominant fashion and could have gone one ahead in the 11th minute when Kai Havertz dispossessed Arsenal center-back Pablo Mari, ran through on goal but fired over with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Chelsea were made to pay for Havertz’s easy miss when the Gunners opened the scoring on 16 minutes courtesy a Jorginho error.

The Italian midfielder facing his own goal failed to judge Kepa Arrizabalaga's position in the net and made a callous back pass that forced the goalkeeper to make a desperate save off his line.

But the ball fell into the path of Pierre Aubameyang who squared to Emile Smith Rowe for the easiest of finishes.

After that it was all Chelsea for the remaining 74 minutes of the game. Mason Mount troubled Arsenal no end with his speed as he made inroads into the rival defense and was twice denied by an alert Bernd Leno. Christian Pulisic headed over a corner from close-range as Chelsea went into half-time luckless.

Callum Hudon-Odoi was introduced during the interval but could not influence the proceedings although the Blues fleetingly thought they had levelled when Pulisic had the ball in the net but was judged offside long before VAR intervened.

Pulisic could not grab an opportunity to score a little later as he drove straight into Leno's body from a teasing Hudson-Odoi cross. The hosts went even closer to an equalizer when Kurt Zouma looped his header on to the bar, but Olivier Giroud turned the rebound from the defender's effort against the woodwork and away to safety.

Arsenal had one of their rare moments in the game towards the end when Martin Odegaard teed up Hector Bellerin who fire straight at Arrizabalaga and then himself squandered a shooting opportunity by blazing over from close range.

The win against a strong Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge kept Arsenal's thin hopes of qualifying for the Europa League alive. Mikel Arteta's men are now on the 8th spot and on equal points with 9th placed Everton who have the advantage of having two games in hand.

Chelsea stayed on the fourth spot with 64 points, 6 points ahead of West Ham, who have a game in hand and 7 ahead of Liverpool, who have played two fixtures less than the Blues.

Chelsea starting in a 3-4-3 formation: Arrizabalaga (goal); Azpilicueta (Ziyech 78), Silva, Zouma; James, Gilmour (Hudson-Odoi 46), Jorginho, Chilwell; Pulisic, Havertz (Giroud 65), Mount.

Substitutes not used: Mendy, Alonso, Emeron, Livramento, Anjorin, Werner.

Arsenal starting in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Leno (goal); Holding, Mari, Gabriel; Saka (Bellerin 66), Partey, Elneny, Tierney; Smith Rowe, Odergaard; Aubameyang (Lacazette 79).

Substitutes not used: Ryan, Bellerin, Chambers, Soares, Ceballos, Willian, Pepe, Martinelli, Lacazette

Goal: Smith Rowe 16