A pulsating 2-2 draw at the Emirates stadium will leave both sides ruing what could have been. While supporters on both sides will feel that their team should have claimed a win, a draw is perhaps the result the game deserved after both teams played their hearts out. Despite being out of energy and fatigued by the Christmas schedule, both teams left everything out on the pitch tonight.
Chelsea will be unhappy that they could not climb back up above Manchester United in the league table while Arsenal will now be worried about losing out on the fourth Champions League spot.
Here is how the Blues players performed on the night.
Thibaut Courtois: 9
Something about the Emirates triggers the best out of the away team’s goalkeepers. Or perhaps Courtois wanted to match De Gea’s performance from a few weeks back. The Belgian did brilliantly well to keep out some impossible shots and was Chelsea’s best player on the night.
Marcos Alonso: 7.5
Well beaten on pace by Bellerin but Alonso did well in the attacking third to give Chelsea a late lead which they eventually failed to hold on to.
Gary Cahill: 7
Did well to keep Arsenal at bay for most of the match but needs to be better at leading his team while under pressure.
Andreas Christensen: 8
The young Dane is showing great class and maturity in every match and was once again excellent at the heart of the Chelsea defence tonight.
Cesar Azpilicueta: 8
The Spaniard was tasked with stopping Alexis Sanchez from cutting in and he accomplished his task with great proficiency.
Victor Moses: 5.5
Was outfoxed and outpaced by Maitland-Niles. His one-dimensional game is allowing the opposition to press higher against the Chelsea defence.
N’Golo Kante: 8
Once again he was superb in the midfield and perhaps met his match today in Jack Wilshere. Both players were locked in a few tenacious battles and Kante will not want to Wilshere again without proper rest.
Cesc Fabregas: 7.5
A dangerous few passes into the forward line; none of which were converted thanks to Chelsea’s inefficiency in front of goal.
Tiemoue Bakayoko: 4
The Frenchman continues to amaze Chelsea fans with his performances. He was once again at the base of everything that went wrong for Chelsea but perhaps will be saved the wrath of Conte today thanks to Morata’s horrific game.
Eden Hazard: 8
The Belgian cut out a frustrated figure in Chelsea attack as he was left alone with too much to do or was unable to receive a timely pass from any of his team-mates. Managed to make it all happen by himself by earning and converting a penalty to get Chelsea back into the game.
Alvaro Morata: 1
Morata might as well have stayed back in the team bus tonight. His performance included three one-on-one misses, two fouls and going down to the floor easily more than once. The Spaniard it seems is great as long as he gets to head the ball but nothing more. A horrific game he would soon like to forget.
Substitutes
Davide Zappacosta: 7
A live-wire down the right flank once he replaced Moses and created the second goal for Chelsea
Danny Drinkwater: N/A
Willian: 6.5
Started the move that led to Chelsea’s second goal with a wonderful switch out to the right-hand side.
