A second successive Chelsea win under Maurizio Sarri, 3-2 over an Arsenal side who have suffered back-to-back defeats under Unai Emery, gave both managers a crash course in the unpredictability of the English Premier League.
Marcos Alonso pounced on Eden Hazard’s cross to settle the game in the second half after the visitors fought back from two down but spurned further chances in the game on Saturday.
The outcome has lifted Chelsea joint top of the table alongside Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Fulham 3-1, and Bournemouth, who won 2-1 at West Ham United.
Elsewhere, Leicester City and Everton posted their first victories, against Wolves and Southampton respectively, while the day’s other game between league newcomers Cardiff City and Newcastle United ended goalless.
That sort of scoreline was never a possibility at Stamford Bridge, where the visitors raced into the lead through Alvaro Morata and Pedro but were lucky to go into the interval level after Arsenal squandered opportunities either side of goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi.
Chelsea brought Hazard off the bench midway through the second half and were rewarded when he broke free on the left and crossed for Alonso to shoot low under Petr Cech’s body.
“It is better to be on the pitch than watching on the bench, but the boys when they are playing they did well so I am just happy for the win,” Hazard said.
In the week that Spurs apologised to their supporters for further delay in their return to White Hart Lane, their victory gave a reminder of how accustomed they have grown to Wembley.
This is with two of their England internationals leading the way after Fulham equalised Lucas Moura’s opener. (Reuters/NAN)
