Chelsea and Arsenal played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in a London derby at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as action returned to the Premier League in grand style after the international break.
The hosts took the lead in the 14th minute through a Cole Palmer penalty after William Saliba was adjudged to have handled the ball in the Arsenal box.
Chelsea doubled their lead in the 48th minute through Mykhaylo Mudryk, who punished the Arsenal goalkeeper for straying off his line
While it looked like Arsenal were down and out, the Gunners pulled a goal back in the 77th minute through Declan Rice, who fired a long-range shot after an awful clearance by the Chelsea goalkeeper
The visitors equalised in the 84th minute through Leandro Trossard, who headed in Bukayo Saka’s cross.
3 – Leandro Trossard is the first Arsenal player to score each of his first three Premier League goals for the club as a substitute. Solution. pic.twitter.com/kePIASIS1A
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 21, 2023
Both teams had chances to win the game in the closing stages, but neither could find a breakthrough as the derby ended in a stalemate.
With the point earned at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal preserved their unbeaten start to the season as they remain second on the log behind Manchester City on goal difference.
Merseyside derby
For the game at Anfield, Mohamed Salah played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s victory over 10-man Everton in the Premier League’s Merseyside derby.
Salah’s composed penalty, taken in front of the Kop End after Michael Keane’s handball, broke the deadlock in a frustrating 75 minutes for the home team.
He then sealed the win with a late second goal, momentarily propelling the Reds to the top of the table in the day’s early kickoff.
Adebayo the hero
Elsewhere, Elijah Adebayo’s crucial late goal played a pivotal role in Luton’s remarkable comeback from a two-goal deficit, securing a confidence-boosting draw against Nottingham Forest.
Until the 83rd minute, the Hatters found themselves trailing 2-0, but the game’s dynamics shifted when Forest failed to effectively handle a routine free-kick, allowing Chiedozie Ogbene to slot home the loose ball.
He’s magic, you know 😉 pic.twitter.com/9gKl7sGs9h
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) October 21, 2023
Subsequently, substitute Adebayo exhibited exceptional control by cushioning a long ball with his chest and calmly dispatching his finish past Matt Turner, equalising the match in the second minute of added time.
Earlier in the game, Chris Wood had opened the scoring for Forest just two minutes into the second half and added a second goal after 76 minutes, seemingly putting them on the path to victory before Luton’s remarkable late resurgence.
This result extends Forest’s winless streak to five games, including four draws, while Luton adds a valuable fifth point to their season tally.
Other games
The other Saturday games saw Newcastle United demolish Crystal Palace 4-0 while Frank Onyeka and his Brentford teammates cruised to a 3-0 win over Burnley.
At the Vitality Stadium, Dominic Solanke’s goal was not enough as AFC Bournemouth lost 2-1 at home against Wolverhampton.
Man City also recorded an identical 2-1 win over Brighton to shoot to top spot on the Premier League standings.
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