Chelsea 1–1 Arsenal: Caicedo’s Red Card, Chalobah’s Header & Merino’s Response – Player Ratings! | OneFootball

Stamford Bridge hosted yet another installment of pure London football chaos: crunching tackles, a red card that could be seen from space, one world-class header at either end, and enough VAR-induced anxiety to power the Piccadilly Line. Chelsea and Arsenal met as two sides chasing the top of the Premier League table, but only one of them decided to play the first half like they wanted to stay there. And only one of them decided to play the second half with 11 men.

Chelsea were ferocious, lively, and, at times, borderline feral. Arsenal were patient, persistent, and occasionally confused by what exactly the Blues were trying to do. Moisés Caicedo, unfortunately, was trying to remove Mikel Merino’s ankle from his leg, earning a straight red that flipped the script and forced Enzo Maresca into siege-mode football.

Even with 10 men, Chelsea struck first through Trevoh Chalobah’s glancing header, only for Merino to level things with a bullet of his own moments later. From there, it became a tactical grind: Arteta probing, Maresca reshuffling, and both sides waiting for a mistake that never arrived.

A storm of passion. A flurry of cards. A point apiece. And a handful of players who may need ice baths for both their legs and their pride.

Below are your full player ratings.

CHELSEA vs ARSENAL MATCH PREVIEW – Premier League 2025/26: Chelsea 1–1 Arsenal: Caicedo’s Red Card, Chalobah’s Header & Merino’s Response – Player Ratings!

CHELSEA PLAYER RATINGS

Robert Sánchez – 7.5/10

Two huge saves: one from Martinelli, one from Gyökeres. Safe hands, calm presence, and absolutely not responsible for the goal conceded. A solid night at the Bridge.

Malo Gusto – 6.5/10

Caught under Merino’s rocket of a header but generally defended well. Limited influence going forward but stuck to his responsibilities with discipline.

Trevoh Chalobah – 8.5/10

A warrior. Scored Chelsea’s opener with a gorgeous glancing header. Led the backline like a man who’d swallowed a lump of coal at halftime. One of the club’s most reliable performers, and he showed every bit of it tonight.

Wesley Fofana – 6.5/10

Quietly crucial. Much of his work went unnoticed – and that’s usually a good sign for a centre-back. Helped plug holes when Arsenal went direct.

Marc Cucurella – 6.5/10

Did surprisingly well against Saka for large stretches before being undone for the equaliser. Booked early, which clipped his wings, but still fought through the full 90.

Reece James – 8/10

A beauty of a cross for Chalobah’s opener. Controlled, creative, and clever until Caicedo’s red card forced him into more defensive duties. One of Chelsea’s best.

Moisés Caicedo – 3.5/10

Started as a midfield machine. Ended as a man walking down the tunnel. A reckless, studs-up stamp that undid Chelsea’s first-half momentum and left his teammates with 57 minutes of punishment. A wildly unnecessary tackle in a game he was otherwise controlling well.

Enzo Fernández – 6.5/10

Dropped into the pivot once Caicedo left the pitch. Battled, harried, and pressed where possible. Not his smoothest performance, but his aggression was vital.

Estevão – 7/10

Full of spark, energy, and mischief on the right. Tore Calafiori apart in the first half but lacked final product. Withdrawn at halftime due to tactical reshuffling.

João Pedro – 4.5/10

Did everything right until the actual finishing. Pressed brilliantly, created his own chances… and then forgot how to shoot. A frustrating performance defined by almost-moments.

Pedro Neto – 7.5/10

Chelsea’s lungs. Held the ball, carried it, fought for it, and gave his 10-man side an outlet. Mature performance without losing his trademark danger.

SUBSTITUTES

Alejandro Garnacho – 6/10

Thrown into a firefight at halftime. Worked hard but never got the space to influence the game.

Liam Delap – 5/10

Tasked with holding the ball and relieving pressure… but rarely managed it. One good effort on goal, but otherwise struggled.

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ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS

David Raya – 7/10

Excellent save from João Pedro’s header. Good handling, calm feet. There was nothing he could do about Chalobah’s goal.

Jurrien Timber – 7.5/10

Strong defensively, composed in buildup, and one huge last-man block on Enzo. Arsenal’s most reliable defender tonight.

Cristian Mosquera – 7/10

Booked early but rarely rattled. Strong in duels, stayed composed under pressure, especially in transitions.

Piero Hincapié – 6.5/10

A shaky first half featuring a slip that nearly gifted Chelsea a goal. Recovered after the break with a big tackle on Neto.

Riccardo Calafiori – 6/10

A massive early challenge on Estevão, but booked shortly after. Hooked at halftime to avoid a second yellow.

Martín Zubimendi – 5.5/10

Looked edgy, was booked early, and struggled to get into rhythm. Subbed before the break as Arteta adjusted for Caicedo’s red.

Declan Rice – 7.5/10

Always involved, always reliable. Huge tackle on Neto. Dropped deeper to stabilize midfield and did so efficiently.

Eberechi Eze – 5.5/10

Glimpses of skill but too often on the periphery. Subbed early in the second half.

Bukayo Saka – 7.5/10

Arsenal’s brightest attacker. Assisted the equaliser with a perfect cross. Should’ve scored earlier but was a menace throughout.

Mikel Merino – 8/10

Chelsea couldn’t stop fouling him – sometimes legally, sometimes with studs. Scored the crucial equaliser and nearly won it late. Arsenal’s best performer.

Gabriel Martinelli – 5.5/10

Had a couple of looks at goal but lacked end product. Worked hard, but Chelsea kept him contained.

SUBSTITUTES

Martin Ødegaard – 7/10

Brought composure and control instantly. Helped Arsenal regain territory and tempo.

Myles Lewis-Skelly – 6/10

Booked instantly and played a horror pass across his own box. Raw talent, raw decisions.

Noni Madueke – 6/10

Frustrated, shackled, and unable to influence the game.

Viktor Gyökeres – 5.5/10

Rusty return. One half-chance on the rebound but little else.

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MAN OF THE MATCH – TREVOR CHALOBAH (CHELSEA)

Chalobah was heroic. A brilliant, technically perfect glancing header to give Chelsea the lead, followed by a monstrous defensive performance in a 10-vs-11 battle. Brave in duels, dominant in the air, and emotionally unshakeable – the beating heart of Chelsea’s resilience.

Chelsea will feel proud of their grit and furious at Caicedo’s red. Arsenal will feel frustrated at not beating 10 men but relieved they didn’t lose ground. The six-point gap remains, the title race stays alive, and both teams limp into their next fixtures knowing they were just dragged through a 90-minute London washing machine. Up north in Manchester, Pep Guardiola might be the happiest man with this result. Only time will tell what this result may prove to be in the coming months as the title race gets more interesting.