Chelsea captain Reece James says his side dominated the London derby despite playing with 10 men for over half the game and believes they could have snatched a win after a 1‑1 draw.
Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo was sent off in the 38th minute after a VAR review confirmed a reckless challenge on Mikel Merino, leaving the Blues down a man for the bulk of the match.
Just three minutes later, defender Trevor Chalobah flicked a pinpoint corner from Reece James into the net to give Chelsea the lead.
Arsenal equalised in the 59th minute when Merino rose to meet Bukayo Saka’s cross, his header finding the back of the net. Despite the setback, Chelsea kept pressing, with Liam Delap having a fine chance saved by David Raya in the 78th minute.
James spoke to Chelsea’s official website, reflecting on the difficulty of the contest: “We played 60 minutes with 10 men, having to cope with all of their players – they are a very good team, they’re the league leaders at the moment.”
He added his conviction that a win was within reach: “We knew the game was going to be tough, but to be honest, it was a game we felt we probably could have won. It was difficult to only walk away with a point, considering how well we did.”
James praised the team’s collective effort under pressure: “We dominated the whole game in every area throughout. I think that was a big statement on where we are and what we’re fighting for.”
Chelsea sit third in the Premier League table with 24 points, six behind leaders Arsenal. Their next test is an away trip to Leeds United on Wednesday.
