Chelsea dominated the opening half an hour as Arsenal struggled to pose the home side problems and the Blues created a number of chances.

The game changed on 38 minutes when Moises Caicedo saw a straight red for a tackle on Mikel Merino and the visitors enjoyed more of the ball in the second period.

But we continued to pose a threat and were more than equal to Arsenal even with a man less, as we went in search of all three points.

Solitary change

Maresca often rotates his side in a bid to keep his players fresh, following a busy summer at the Club World Cup, but today there was just the one change, as Joao Pedro returned to the XI in place of Alejandro Garnacho, with Pedro Neto moving out to the left flank.

There was a great atmosphere inside the Bridge, as chants of 'Champions of Europe' and 'We've won it all' rung around the famous old stadium.

Estevao was at the heart of Chelsea's brightest moments early on. The Brazilian almost created our first chance of the game, when he passed to Pedro Neto and he was just blocked as the Portuguese looked to get a shot away.

The teenager then had two chances in quick succession. First Estevao looked set to score when a move he started ended with Joao Pedro's cross falling to him ten yards out but the shot went comfortably over the bar.

Estevao showed no signs of discouragement though as he immediately responded with trying to raise the home crowd and a minute later he cut inside 25 yards from goal and curled an effort wide.

Arsenal were struggling to gain momentum as our press saw the Blues win the ball back in the opposition half with regularity and we had another glorious chance when Joao Pedro dispossessed Piero Hincapie just outside their box but a great recovery from Riccardo Calafiori stopped the Brazil international from getting a shot away and his subsequent pass to Enzo Fernandez was wayward.

The Blues kept attacking Arsenal and David Raya was forced into action when more good play from Estevao ended with Enzo striking a powerful shot goalwards.

Arsenal had barely laid a glove on Chelsea during the opening 35 minutes but the momentum of the game shifted when Caicedo caught the ankle of Mikel Merino when going into the tackle and, after a lengthy injury break for both players and a VAR check, referee Anthony Taylor sent off the Blues midfielder.

Arsenal hadn't troubled the Chelsea defence as the fourth official held up five minutes of injury-time and when Gabriel Martinelli did get a shot away moments later, Robert Sanchez was equal to it as the Spaniard made a fine diving save to his near post.

Even with ten men, Chelsea still offered a threat and Reece James had an effort blocked before the whistle was blown.

And that continued in the second half as we were first to go close when James' free-kick to the far post was met by Joao Pedro and Raya had to make a fine stop at his near post.

Ten-man Chelsea ahead

And the Blues took the lead from the resulting corner. James curled in his delivery into the near post and Chalobah's flick looped inside the far post for 1-0.

Understandably, Arsenal carried more of a threat when one man to the good but Chelsea were still looking to attack.

However, the Gunners equalised just before the hour when Bukayo Saka cut back onto his left foot when on the edge of the area and his cross to the far post was nodded in by Merino, leaving Sanchez with no chance.

Chelsea continued to pose their own threat though and while a dangerous attack that saw a superb crossfield pass from James and Garnacho cut inside onto his right foot ended with a tame Neto header, it showed the hosts were not just looking to settle for a draw despite Arsenal spending an increasing amount of time in our half.

The Blues were next to go close as well, as some decent build-up play ended with substitute Liam Delap having a powerful low drive well held by Raya. Arsenal immediately went down the other end and flashed a shot over the bar but it was another passage of play which highlighted we were more than a match for the Gunners even with ten men.

While Arsenal dominated possession in the second half, we arguably posed the greater threat for spells and another counter-attack ended with Neto curling an effort wide of the far post.

The Gunners were always going to pose problems with the man advantage and Sanchez had to save from Merino low to his left, and then was clattered by Gyokeres when diving on the follow-up.

There was a worrying moment in injury-time as Jurien Timber glanced the ball away from the head of the arriving Viktor Gyokeres inside our six-yard box, but when the final whistle went moments later, there was a loud cheer from the home crowd as our fans recognised a great effort from our side as we pushed the league leaders all the way even with ten men.

What it means

The gap with Arsenal at the top remains six points, with Chelsea now third in the table and Manchester City second and on one point more after their injury-time winner against Leeds United yesterday.

What's next

It is another rivalry next for the Blues as we travel to Leeds United on Wednesday night for a 8.15pm kick-off which will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK.

It is the first of three games on the road as a trip to Bournemouth (Saturday 6 December) and Atalanta (Tuesday 9 December) before we are back at the Bridge on Saturday 13 December against Everton.

The teams

Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; James (c), Caicedo; Estevao (Garnacho HT), Fernandez, Neto; Joao Pedro (Delap 54)
Substitutes: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Tosin, Badiashile, Santos, Palmer, Gittens
Scorers: Chalobah 48
Bookings: Cucurella 11
Red card: Caicedo 38

Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori (Lewis-Skelly HT); Rice, Zubimendi (Odegaard 57) Eze (Gyokeres 72); Saka, Martinelli (Madueke 57), Merino
Subs: Arrizabalaga, White, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Jesus
Scorers: Merino 59
Bookings: Zubimendi 5, Mosquera 13, Calafiori 27, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly 54, Gyokeres 88

Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 39,820