Arsenal vs Chelsea at the Emirates delivered exactly the kind of blockbuster Premier League encounter fans had hoped for. The thriller had everything, goals, end-to-end action, aggressive player battles and unforgettable individual performances. Mikel Arteta's Arsenal ultimately came out on top, with Kai Havertz producing a stunning display against his former club as the Gunners secured a 2-1 victory and handed Xabi Alonso his first Premier League defeat as Chelsea manager.
Arsenal Player Ratings vs Chelsea
David Raya — 9/10
Simply outstanding. Raya produced several important saves and saved his best moment for the closing stages, making an extraordinary stop to deny Estêvão. That save proved crucial in protecting Arsenal's lead.
Ben White — 7/10
A solid defensive performance from White. He remained reliable throughout and did his job without attracting too much attention.
Ezri Konsa — 8/10
A brilliant debut at the Emirates. Konsa looked composed and assured at the heart of Arsenal's defence and was particularly unlucky not to register an assist.
Gabriel Magalhães — 8/10
Another commanding performance from Arsenal's defensive leader. Gabriel made several crucial interceptions and demonstrated his leadership whenever Chelsea threatened.
Riccardo Calafiori — 9/10
Simply sensational. Calafiori continued his extraordinary run of form and looked arguably like the best left-back in the world on current form.
Declan Rice — 8/10
Another classic big-game performance from Arsenal's midfield maestro. Rice provided energy, control and defensive protection while helping Arsenal compete in the middle of the pitch.
Myles Lewis-Skelly — 8/10
Lewis-Skelly continued his brilliant start to the season. His composure and technical ability were again evident against a strong Chelsea side.
Bukayo Saka — 7/10
An impressive performance from Saka, who created problems for Chelsea and had a couple of decent opportunities. He perhaps could have been more clinical.
Martin Ødegaard — 9/10
This looks like a player reborn after his underwhelming performances last season. Ødegaard was spectacular throughout and capped his display by scoring the winning goal.
Christos Tzolis — 9/10
Simply unplayable at times. Tzolis repeatedly wreaked havoc in the Chelsea defence and looked like an absolute bargain signing based on this performance.
Kai Havertz — 10/10
The undisputed man of the match. Havertz arguably produced his best performance yet for Arsenal against his former club. His goal was important, but his influence in open play was even more impressive, with intelligent dummy movements, excellent link-up play and outstanding passing. A genuine 10/10 masterclass.
Arsenal Substitutes
Piero Hincapié — 6/10: Replaced Calafiori and did his job.
Martín Zubimendi — 6/10: A normal, decent cameo after replacing Lewis-Skelly.
Mikel Merino — 5/10: A relatively quiet cameo.
Viktor Gyökeres — 6/10: Looked eager to prove a point against Chelsea but was decent overall.
Noni Madueke — N/A: Came on in the final minute and had virtually no time to make an impact.
Chelsea Player Ratings vs Arsenal
Emiliano Martínez — 5/10
An average outing. Martínez arguably should have done better for Arsenal's second goal.
Josh Acheampong — 6/10
Showed promise at times and wasn't afraid to get involved despite Arsenal's pressure.
Maxence Lacroix — 6/10
A decent but inconsistent performance. Lacroix struggled at times against Arsenal's movement.
Wesley Fofana — 4/10
Arguably Chelsea's weakest defensive player. Fofana was largely anonymous and struggled to influence the game.
Pedro Neto — 7/10
Yet again, Neto looked brilliant in the wing-back role. His attacking threat was one of Chelsea's brighter aspects.
Roméo Lavia — 8/10
One of Chelsea's best players on the night. Lavia competed impressively in midfield and provided Chelsea with much-needed control.
Reece James — 6/10
James tried to make things happen but couldn't consistently influence the contest.
Jorrel Hato — 5/10
An average performance from Hato, who struggled to impose himself against Arsenal.
Cole Palmer — 5/10
Well below his usual standards. Palmer struggled to make things happen and never truly found his rhythm.
Morgan Rogers — 7/10
Chelsea's best attacker on the night. Rogers caused Arsenal problems and scored Chelsea's only goal.
João Pedro — 5/10
A frustrating figure throughout the contest. João Pedro struggled to make the desired impact in attack.
Chelsea Substitutes
Pep Chavarría — 5/10: An average cameo after replacing Hato.
Malo Gusto — 6/10: Did a fine job after coming on for Lavia.
Estêvão — 7/10: Produced a brilliant effort late on that looked destined to find the net, only for Raya to make an extraordinary save.
Danny Welbeck — N/A: Had virtually no time to make an impact after replacing Rogers late on
Verdict
While Chelsea showed enough attacking quality to make Arsenal work for the three points, the Gunners ultimately had the standout performers. Havertz was the star of the show, while Ødegaard, Calafiori, Raya and Tzolis also produced exceptional displays. For Alonso, meanwhile, this was a painful first Premier League defeat, and one that demonstrated just how formidable Arsenal can be when their key players hit top form.