How Chelsea proved Premier League title race credentials despite Arsenal loss

Chelsea have now played Arsenal four times in 2026 and lost on each and every occasion, and yet the doom and gloom ought to stop there.While on previous meetings the Blues had looked miles off the pace against Mikel Arteta’s side, the same was not true of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at the Emirates.This game was always billed as being the early marker of quite how hungry and capable Arsenal are of going again and going back-to-back; for Chelsea, a good measure of quite how seriously talk of a potential title charge should be taken. A trip to the Emirates is the hardest fixture of any team’s 2026-27 schedule, and this one came very early on for Chelsea. In the end, they couldn’t quite complete the task after going ahead, but went toe-to-toe with Arsenal.Xabi AlonsoGettyThe manner of the defeat, if not the result itself, boded well for Chelsea’s early progress under Xabi Alonso, who is here to stay and said after the transfer window closed that “phase one is complete”.Where Chelsea will be disappointed is the final half-hour. It will be remembered as a frenetic, high-intensity clash between two top teams, and yet there is no denying Arsenal had the staying power which made Chelsea look tired and a little desperate late on.Chelsea are at an earlier stage of their evolution than Arsenal — which will remain the case for as long as Arteta is in the Emirates dugout — and there is no denying the Gunners made it look that way. The hosts took control in those closing stages, winding down the clock and seeing out the victory despite Chelsea’s rip-roaring start and lead after only 77 seconds.For the Blues, that ability to take supreme control of a big match remains something to aspire to. Arsenal are the very best at it, and Alonso will have known beforehand that there was every chance the Gunners would take the edge of the contest in commanding fashion if leading, as they were, heading into the closing stages.Yet defeat for Chelsea does not automatically reject Arteta’s claim beforehand that they can challenge for the Premier League title this season.Arsenal remain favourites to lift the trophy in May — to an even greater degree now — but Chelsea should be frustrated with themselves if they are not there or thereabouts come the end of the season.Defeats seldom feel like evidence of progress, but Sunday’s should be taken as suchDefeats seldom feel like evidence of progress, but Sunday’s should be taken as such.The pace of that first half was something to behold, and Chelsea pushed Arsenal every step of the way, taking the lead through Rogers — who else? — after only a minute and 17 seconds and keeping Arsenal at bay.Read MoreEmi Martinez has now conceded five goals in two games since becoming Chelsea’s No1, and should have saved Kai Havertz’s equaliser, yet Chelsea were still threatening the best team in the land. That mouthwatering front three of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Rogers made Arsenal think twice about committing too many bodies forward for corners, with Alonso and set-piece coach Austin MacPhee having concocted a shrewd plan to keep all three, plus Pedro Neto, near the halfway line for Arsenal corners.It was a clever ploy which stopped the Gunners packing the opposition box in the way they did to such devastating effect throughout last season. And then when hitting their hosts on the counter-attack, Chelsea looked streamlined and far more dangerous than under former managers Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior last term. Rogers curled just wide when trying to reinstate Chelsea’s lead, Neto hit the post and Estevao’s stunning effort was tipped over by David Raya in the final minutes.Criticism of Chelsea’s porous defence in these opening three league games of the campaign — seven goals conceded — must be taken on the chin, and yet defensive output was largely commendable at the Emirates. Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato, Romeo Lavia and Martinez, twice saving from Bukayo Saka, kept Arsenal out with resolute blocks.Chelsea still have Moises Caicedo to come back into midfield and new signing Marco Palestra to slot in at left wing-back, too, so there are levels to go to even before accounting for time on the training ground as the squad adapt to Alonso’s style of play.“We know what we have to do,” the captain, Reece James, said afterwards.Not for years had Chelsea truly taken the game to Arsenal, irrespective of the result, and yet this time they did.An achievement in itself, it provided encouragement that they should be able to take meaningful points off the rest of the so-called ‘big six’ this season — crucial in aiding their ascent up the table and in determining whether Chelsea really can be title challengers this season. This negative result offered positive signs.