Following the derby victory over Chelsea, Arteta emphasized that Arsenal can reach even greater heights.

Arsenal came from behind to defeat Chelsea 2-1 in the London derby during the third round of the 2026/27 Premier League season, thanks to goals from Havertz and Odegaard. Manager Arteta expressed his delight at the players' performance but also emphasized that the Gunners can reach even greater heights in all aspects.

Just two minutes into the match, Jorel Hatto headed the ball across the box amidst a scramble, and Morgan Rodgers unleashed a long-range shot from the edge of the penalty area, giving Chelsea a dream start of 1-0. In the 25th minute, Rice played a diagonal pass to Havertz, who broke through to the edge of the box and fired a long-range shot into the net, leveling the score at 1-1 for Arsenal.

In the 50th minute of the second half, Zolis dribbled past the defense and passed the ball diagonally into the penalty area, where Odegaard stepped up and pushed the ball into the net, giving Arsenal a 2-1 lead over Chelsea.

Arsenal ultimately defeated Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium, securing their third consecutive victory.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, "I'm really happy. It was an incredible game to watch and manage, fantastic from start to finish. The level of play, the competition, the attack, and the fluidity of the game were all outstanding. We were playing against a very tough opponent, but the threats we created were incredible."

“Many players who missed last season played exceptionally well in this game. Because those players couldn’t play for us last season, they brought the game to a completely different dimension. We were very calm and composed, very clear about our game intentions, and knew how to execute them, while showing amazing qualities.”

Arteta continued, "We had to be patient and created a lot of chances. After they scored, we scored one too, but it was disallowed. Then we kept working hard, and that's why we finally got what we deserved."

“We actually had many more chances, but we couldn’t convert them into goals because of subtle differences. The understanding between the players and the ability to create threats by occupying different spaces made our attack unpredictable. This is something we have always emphasized, and it was all on display in the game.”

In addition, Arteta said, "Everyone can see where we are at the overall level of the league, and they can also see how we maintain this level. We still have a lot of room for improvement in many aspects, and this must be our requirement and direction of effort, because we can reach a higher level, both individually and as a team."

Image source: Internet