Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was full of praise for his players after ending a three-match losing streak with a 4-2 win at rivals Chelsea on Wednesday to boost their Premier League top four hopes.
Former Chelsea Academy player Eddie Nketiah scored twice, earning Arsenal the lead both times after Timo Werner had cancelled out his opener and Cesar Azpilicueta equalised following Emile Smith-Rowe's goal. Bukayo Saka then confirmed the victory in injury time, winning a contentious penalty before converting from the spot.
After losing their last three games, Nketiah's crucial contribution lifted Arsenal back into the race to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top-four finish. The Gunners are in fifth place, behind fourth-placed Tottenham on goal difference with both teams having six games to play, including against each other.
"It's a great night and the players deserve it. It has been a tough two weeks but you have to bounce back and show spirit," Arteta said. "I love the spirit of these players. When you lose matches you get criticised but for these players it is worth it. They are really growing."
On Nketiah, Arteta added: "What Eddie has done tonight is because of what he has done for the last 10 months and no one has noticed. I said to him I haven't been fair. I should have been playing him more."
Arsenal's hopes of returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2017 face another vital test against sixth-placed Manchester United on Saturday.
FA Cup finalists Chelsea remain in third place, but they are now only five points ahead of Arsenal and cannot take a top-four place for granted.
Chelsea have conceded 11 goals in their last three home games and Azpilicueta's frustration boiled over in an angry exchange with a fan after the final whistle.
Chelsea v Arsenal player ratings
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CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy - 6: No chance with any of the goals as defence in front of him endured night to forget. Lacking confidence playing out from back after recent errors. AFP -
Reece James - 6: Started in deeper, more central defensive role but Chelsea looked porous at back again. Pushed into preferred wider role as game wore on but couldn't provide team with cutting edge it needed after break. AFP -
Andreas Christensen - 4: Terrible weak back-pass gifted Nketiah the opening goal and the Dane never looked comfortable. Hooked at half-time. Getty -
Malang Sarr - 5: French defender couldn’t prevent Nketiah running through to score after Christensen blunder. Should have done a lot better dealing with Nketiah’s second, though. Booked for foul on Saka. Getty -
Cesar Azpilicueta - 5: Lovely first-time finish to make it 2-2 for Chelsea captain’s first league goal of season. Gave away ludicrous late penalty after wrestling Saka to the ground and was booked for complaining. Then involved in confrontation with home fan after the final whistle. PA -
N’Golo Kante - 6: Neat and tidy enough but Frenchman not his usual dominating self as Odegaard took control of midfield at key moments. EPA -
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 6: His well-timed challenge won back possession and led to Werner’s leveller. Ball watching as Smith Rowe ghosted in behind him for Arsenal's second and his influenced waned as match went on. AFP -
Marcos Alonso - 5: Had shot in first few minutes deflected into side netting, then snatched at another opportunity and stunning long ball from Mount. Found Saka a handful, to say the least. Getty -
Mason Mount 7: Had vicious swerving corner headed off line early on. Excellent ball into box to pick out Azpilicueta for his goal, an even better pass to find Alonso not long after that. AFP -
Timo Werner - 6: German’s deflected strike from edge of box made it 1-1. Fired shot into side netting straight after half-time. Busy performance but, like his attacking teammates, strangely subdued in second half. Getty -
Romelu Lukaku – 4: Striker, making his first league start for two months, drilled shot across face of goal and wide in 10th minute … but that was it for his attacking threat. Belgian looks shadow of the player many thought would propel Chelsea to title challenge. Reuters -
SUBS: Thiago Silva – (On for Christensen 46’) 6: Veteran brought on to stabilise defence but was turned by Nketiah ahead of Arsenal’s third goal. Getty -
Kai Havertz – (On for Lukaku 61’) 5: Brought on for hopelessly Lukaku, but then proved equally ineffective. AFP -
Hakim Ziyech – (On for Alonso 81’) N/A. AFP -
ARSENAL: Aaron Ramsdale - 6: Unconvincing on couple of early Chelsea corners and needed rescuing by Gabriel for one of them. Wrong-footed by deflection for Werner goal although the look on teammates' faces afterwards suggested they felt the goalkeeper should have stopped it. Getty -
Ben White - 7: Sliding block early on sent Alonso shot into side netting. Arsenal felt he was fouled in run-up to Chelsea’s second but referee/VAR having none of it. Moved from central to right-back in fluid Gunners defensive line-up. EPA -
Gabriel - 7: Headed corner off line after five minutes after Ramsdale flapped at cross then saw shot saved by Mendy at other end soon after. Booked after scuffle following late Gunners penalty. EPA -
Rob Holding - 6: Very shaky from the off, gave ball away too easily and looked matter of time before one of his errors would lead to a Chelsea goal in first half. Much better after break. AP -
Nuno Tavares - 6: Left-back always looking to push forward and fired shot across face of goal in first half. Showed lack of composure with one woeful shot wide from tight angle in second half. Getty -
Granit Xhaka - 7: Nice dink over defence to set up chance for Gabriel but turned his back on Werner shot that then deflected off Swiss midfielder and past Ramsdale. Calm defending out from started move for second goal. Getty -
Mohamed Elneny - 6: Rare start for Egyptian midfielder and relieved that Chelsea didn’t make more of his sloppy pass in own half after a couple of minutes, but solid enough show from then on. Getty -
Bukayo Saka - 8: Skipped past with ease Alonso in first half to set up chance for Nketiah and did same just before break but no one in middle to take advantage. Dragged down by Azpilicueta for late penalty which the England attacker calmly finished himself. AFP -
Martin Odegaard - 7: Gunners’ captain grew in stature as game went on, teed-up Smith Row for Gunners’ second and pulled strings at important moments. PA -
Emile Smith Rowe - 8: Desperate for more game time and made his point with beautiful side-footed finish to make it 2-1. Wriggled his way past three defenders but fired just wide in manic first half. Getty -
Eddie Nketiah - 8: Making only second start of season, attacker produced clinical finish after Christensen’s howler to open scoring. Hit two other chances wide in first half. Enjoyed a few lucky breaks from the Chelsea defence before stabbing home his second. AFP -
SUBS: Gabriel Martinelli – (On for Nketiah 70’) 6: No chance to make impact. EPA -
Cedric Soares – (On for Smith Rowe 75’) 6: Looked lively after coming on but got caught in two minds after one run down right and failed to pick out a teammate. AFP -
Alexandre Lacazette – (On for Saka 90+5’) N/A. Reuters
Blues manager Thomas Tuchel admitted he could empathise with the fan and shared his frustration at more slack defending from his team at Stamford Bridge. While Chelsea have been largely excellent away from home, including a 6-0 win at Southampton and 3-2 victory after extra time at Real Madrid, their form has slumped inside their own stadium.
"I was not part of it, I saw it, but, honestly, I can also understand the fan," Tuchel said. "We had a good start but again gave the first goal away, which is impossible to do these things in consecutive matches, but we're doing it.
"It's a level of mistakes, the number of mistakes in consecutive games here at home, it's impossible at this kind of level. You don't see this. It has to stop."
