Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has called for respect for his squad after the Premier League leaders fought back to claim a hard-earned 1-1 draw against title rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Gunners, depleted by injuries, were rescued by Mikel Merino’s 59th-minute header, which salvaged a point after Chelsea had taken the lead through Trevoh Chalobah just after halftime. The London rivals had briefly been reduced to ten men when Moises Caicedo received a red card in the 38th minute, yet Chelsea pressed on aggressively.
Arteta was particularly pleased with his team’s resilience, noting that Arsenal were forced to start a Premier League match without key centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes for the first time this season. Midfielders Martin Odegaard and Viktor Gyokeres were only fit enough for the bench, while Leandro Trossard was sidelined due to injury.
“It was a tough week, physically and mentally, but the boys showed character,” Arteta said. The Spaniard highlighted the team’s efforts across a draining seven-day period, which included a 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham in the north London derby and a commanding Champions League win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Arteta’s message was clear: despite injuries and a punishing schedule, Arsenal’s fighting spirit deserves recognition and respect from fans and rivals alike.
