London, Sep 06 (V7N)- Mikel Arteta got the better of childhood friend Xabi Alonso as Arsenal maintained their perfect Premier League start with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Chelsea stunned the hosts just 77 seconds into the match. Morgan Rogers collected the ball from a free-kick outside the box and unleashed a superb volley that gave Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya no chance.
Arsenal quickly recovered from the early setback and began putting Chelsea under sustained pressure. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz led the response, although one Arsenal goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Chelsea also came close to extending their lead when Pedro Neto's counterattack ended with his shot striking the post.
Arsenal eventually found their equalizer through Havertz before halftime. The German forward broke into the box from the right and finished calmly with a low shot to make it 1-1.
The hosts stepped up the pressure after the break and completed the comeback through captain Odegaard. The Norwegian midfielder received the ball near the penalty spot after a clever dummy from Havertz and produced a composed finish past the goalkeeper.
Chelsea pushed hard for an equalizer in the closing stages, but Arsenal's defense stood firm. Raya made a crucial late save to deny Brazilian youngster Estevao and preserve the Gunners' lead.
The final whistle confirmed a memorable 2-1 derby victory for Arteta's Arsenal, who continued their 100 percent winning record in the Premier League.
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