Arsenal lose Top Spot to Liverpool after 0-0 Draw with Chelsea
Arsenal failed to reclaim top spot in the Premier League as they played out a dreadful stalemate with Chelsea at Emirates Stadium. The result means Liverpool will top the table at Christmas – ahead of the Gunners on goal difference.
Frank Lampard came closest to breaking the deadlock when he hit the woodwork in the first half, while Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud wasted two good opportunities late on to claim the win that would have seen the Gunners leapfrog Liverpool.
Instead, the referee’s final whistle produced a chorus of boos and chants of “boring boring Chelsea” from Arsenal fans frustrated at their team’s failure to lay a glove on Jose Mourinho’s team.
John Obi Mikel could easily have seen a red card for a shocking first-half challenge on Mikel Arteta that went unpunished by the referee and Arsenal were convinced they should have had a penalty when Theo Walcott tumbled after Willian stepped on his foot just before the interval.
An undistinguished first half finally burst into life when Lampard found space on the end of Eden Hazard’s clever flicked pass but saw his powerful effort bounce off the underside of the bar to safety.
The second half, if it was actually possible, opened in even more scrappy fashion and Arteta was the victim of another poor challenge from Ramires, which finally persuaded Dean to show Chelsea’s midfielder a yellow card.
Jose Mourinho is now unbeaten against Arsenal in all 10 competitive matches as Chelsea manager (all against Wenger), winning five, with five draws.
Mourinho made his first change with 17 minutes left, somewhat surprisingly choosing to replace Hazard with Andre Schurrle, who was soon followed into the action by Oscar, on for fellow Brazilian Willian.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger declined to make any changes when the game appeared to be crying out for the invention of Spanish playmaker Santi Cazorla – resulting in a draw that was unfulfilling for both teams.
