Mikel Merino spared Arsenal’s blushes as the league leaders escaped Stamford Bridge with a 1-1 draw against a Chelsea side that played nearly an hour with 10 men.
Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo was sent off late in a fiery first half after a reckless lunge on Merino, igniting tempers across the London derby.
Even with a man down, Trevoh Chalobah stunned Arsenal by heading Chelsea in front, only for Merino to drag the Gunners level in a bruising, ill-tempered showdown.
Arsenal remain five points clear of Manchester City and six ahead of Chelsea, but the leaders knew they squandered a golden chance to punish the 10-man Blues.

 While Arsenal rued their wastefulness, Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief after avoiding what could have been a morale-crushing home defeat.
The Gunners remain favourites for their first title since 2004, but Chelsea’s fearless performance signalled they may be Arsenal’s biggest roadblock.
Arsenal stretched their unbeaten run to 17 games, while Chelsea extended their own to seven matches, refusing to fade in the title conversation.
Both teams arrived high on confidence after big Champions League wins, but that optimism evaporated as tackles flew at the Bridge.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had downplayed title talk, but his young squad matched Arsenal blow for blow despite missing several key players.
The first half erupted with heavy challenges, Zubimendi on Reece James, Cucurella on Saka, Mosquera on Pedro, and Calafiori’s cynical pull on James, revealing the hostility behind the rivalry.