Arsenal's win against Chelsea made it three wins from three in the Premier League this term, but Mikel Arteta said they can be even better. The post Arteta: Arsenal can perform at an even higher level than last season appeared first on SoccerNews.
Xabi Alonso tasted defeat for the first time at Chelsea after Sunday's loss to Arsenal, but the Spaniard remained focused on the future. The post ‘It’s a long, long ride’ – Alonso not disheartened by defeat to Arsenal appeared first on SoccerNews.
Former Man Utd and England captain Wayne Rooney (Picture: BBC) Wayne Rooney believes Gabriel was ‘extremely lucky’ not to be sent off during Arsenal’s Premier League win over Chelsea. The reigning champions maintained their perfect start to the new season with a comeback victory over Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea on Sunday. Chelsea also came into the north London clash with a 100% record and made a superb start, taking the lead inside two minutes through ex-Arsenal target Morgan Rogers. But Kai Havertz equalised against his former club midway through the first half before Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard netted a second-half winner. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. Former Manchester United and England captain Rooney felt Arsenal should have been reduced to ten men just five minutes into the game after Gabriel kicked Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the head. Several Chelsea players reacted angrily to the incident which left Martinez lying in pain and requiring medical attention. Chris Kavanagh’s view was obscured by a scramble in the penalty box but VAR did not suggest the referee consult the pitchside monitor for a second look. Gabriel celebrating Arsenal’s win over Chelsea (Picture: Getty) Analysing the incident on BBC’s Match of the Day, Rooney said: ‘You don’t really see it at first sight but then when you see a replay and they slow it down… ‘Martinez has got the ball in his hands and Gabriel boots him in the head, he swings a leg and goes way over the top. He’s extremely lucky to stay on the pitch.’ Former England defender Ashley Young added: ‘I agree. When the ball is on the floor and Martinez has it, Gabriel kicks so high. How this was not a foul? Gabriel kicking Martinez on head, should have been straight RED. #ARSCHE pic.twitter.com/5icTyXMmh9— The Final Whistle (@Rufus_45) September 6, 2026 ‘I’m not sure why it hasn’t gone to VAR of if they’ve properly studied it because he’s nowhere the ball. He’s got away with one there.’ Mikel Arteta was full of praise for his players after the London derby, describing Arsenal’s performance as ‘incredible’. ‘It wasn’t the right start but we certainly reacted in an amazing way,’ Arteta said. Arsenal beat Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium (Picture: Getty) ‘I enjoyed the way we competed; we took risks, it was a joy to watch and an incredible game. ‘They [Chelsea] have a great coach [Alonso] who can set them up in great condition. With the quality they have, you feel they can create something out of nothing at any moment. ‘We constrained them well. Overall, it was an incredible performance from our side.’ On Arsenal’s flawless start to the new season and their title defence, Arteta added: ‘We are very happy and we need to continue to raise the bar and look to improve every single time. ‘There are still a lot of margins to do that. But we need to enjoy the victory now because it was a big one today.’ Arsenal put their Premier League title defence on hold during the week as they begin their Champions League campaign against Serie A side Napoli. Chelsea, meanwhile, return to action on Wednesday night with a Carabao Cup clash against Leeds United. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Hughes joins Saudi exodus after two years at AnfieldMartinelli, Summerville and Watkins are at Al-HilalRichard Hughes has been appointed as the sporting director of Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League club confirmed on Sunday, following his departure from Liverpool.Hughes, 47, joined Liverpool in 2024 from Bournemouth. He appointed Arne Slot as Jürgen Klopp’s successor as head coach, a decision that paid immediate dividends as the Reds claimed the Premier League title in 2024-25. Slot was sacked and replaced by Andoni Iraola in June. Continue reading...
Ashley Young has hailed Martin Odegaard as a “joy to watch” after the Arsenal captain inspired Mikel Arteta’s side to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Chelsea. Speaking on BBC Sport, the former Premier League defender praised Odegaard’s technical quality, creativity and understanding with Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. “When you’ve got a player like Martin […] The post ‘Joy to watch’: BBC pundit Ashley Young singles out Arsenal star after Chelsea victory appeared first on CaughtOffside.
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