Arsenal secured a dominant 1-0 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates, controlling the game with disciplined defensive organization and an aggressive pressing strategy.
From the outset, Arsenal’s structured press disrupted Chelsea’s build-up, limiting their ability to progress through midfield. Arsenal effectively cut off passing lanes to Moises Caicedo and Reece James, forcing Chelsea’s defenders into rushed or inaccurate long passes. Arsenal’s fluid midfield rotations, led by Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice, created additional problems for Chelsea’s man-marking system, opening space and allowing Arsenal to dictate the tempo in the opening half-hour.
This period of dominance led to Arsenal’s breakthrough in the 20th minute, as Mikel Moreno capitalized on a well-executed set-piece routine, guiding his looped header from the front-post past Sánchez in goal.
Despite Chelsea enjoying the majority of possession (59.1%), they struggled to convert it into meaningful attacking opportunities. Their xG of 0.36 was their lowest in any game this season, highlighting their inefficiency in the final third. The absence of Cole Palmer was particularly felt, as Chelsea lacked a creative spark to break down Arsenal’s compact defensive structure. Arsenal’s low-block organization forced Chelsea into speculative efforts from distance—5 of their 8 shots came from outside the box—while they managed just 9 touches in Arsenal’s penalty area, well below their season average.
Arsenal’s high-intensity pressing also forced Chelsea into uncomfortable situations when playing out from the back. Chelsea’s defensive line, particularly Benoît Badiashile, struggled under pressure, completing only 37.5% of his attempted long passes. Additionally, Arsenal’s work rate and defensive compactness meant Chelsea’s fast breaks were quickly shut down, preventing Pedro Neto from exploiting spaces in transition.
As the game progressed, Chelsea attempted to assert more control, maintaining longer spells of possession in Arsenal’s half. However, Arsenal’s defensive resilience saw them shift into a disciplined low block, denying Chelsea access to central areas and forcing them wide. Chelsea registered 78 final third entries, nearly double Arsenal’s 39, but their inefficiency in breaking into the penalty area (just 19.2% of final third entries were converted to penalty box entries) highlighted their struggles in breaking down Arsenal’s backline.
Ultimately, Arsenal’s early dominance and set-piece execution proved decisive. Their pressing and defensive compactness nullified Chelsea’s attempts to respond, ensuring they saw out a 1-0 victory.