LONDON, England, December 1, 2025 – All the teams chasing Arsenal have got things they need to work on – for Chelsea, their lack of discipline is something that has to change if they are going to challenge for the title.
Moises Caicedo’s dismissal in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against the Gunners was the fourth time in 13 Premier League games that a Chelsea player has been sent off this season.
One of those red cards, for Malo Gusto against Forest, came so late it did not affect the outcome but against Manchester United, Brighton and now Arsenal, they have been a man down for a significant part of each match.
They have taken only one point from a possible nine in those games, and of course the red card had an impact on each result.
Against Arsenal, Chelsea will be happy with a point in the circumstances because of the way they responded when they went down to 10 men and the goal they scored. Even when they did concede, they made it difficult for the Gunners, who could not open them up.
But, because of the way his team played with 10 men, I still think Blues boss Enzo Maresca will see it as an opportunity missed at home to close the gap on the leaders.
It’s not long since Arsenal were the team who were rueing costly red cards in the title race – they dropped points in three of their first eight matches last season, and all three occasions came after they had a man sent off.
This season, however, their disciplinary record is much improved. Yes, they picked up six yellow cards on Sunday in what was a feisty London derby, but they kept 11 men on the pitch.
That’s something Mikel Arteta’s side have done in all 20 games they’ve played in all competitions this season, and it’s an example Chelsea need to start to follow.
Chelsea lacking consistency too
I didn’t have Chelsea down as title contenders before the season started – I had them as being in and around the top four – but then I didn’t think they would win the Club World Cup in the summer, and they surprised me there.
It probably suits them that no-one really has them down as title contenders now, either, even though Sunday’s game was first versus second going into the weekend.
They are still in a good position after their draw, but do I think they will win the Premier League from here? No, I don’t.
Can they win it? Yes, of course… but they would need to improve more than just their disciplinary record for that to happen.
It is their inconsistency that has cost them more than anything, in games like their 2-1 home defeat by Sunderland where a red card was not to blame, because what has been a decent start to the season for them could have been even better.
Man City are conceding too many chances
Aston Villa are probably in the best form out of the teams behind Arsenal in the chasing pack. Unai Emery’s side have been brilliant recently and are on a really good run.
But from last season’s top five, it’s only the Gunners who have found any consistency – the other four teams have been up and down – particularly Liverpool and Newcastle, but including Chelsea too.
It’s the same story with Manchester City, who are now in second place but still look shaky in defence and are giving up far too many chances.
Further back, Liverpool picked up an important win on Sunday, but I still don’t see the defending champions getting back in the title race now.
Instead, their aim is probably the Champions League places which is something they should have enough for with the ability in their squad.
Their game against West Ham was another that I watched for Match of the Day. After the Reds’ run of form, they were at the stage where a good performance didn’t matter because they just needed a good result.
As it turned out they got both. It was an important three points because Arne Slot was under pressure and he made a big call to leave Mohamed Salah out, but it worked out for him.
It was huge for Alexander Isak to score his first Premier League goal for Liverpool too. He’s had to wait longer than he would have wanted for it, and the Liverpool fans have had to wait as well.
His goal against West Ham was a brilliant finish on the half-volley, and it was also a vital one because it changed the game
There is no doubt the quality is there with Isak, so it was hardly a surprise to see him put away such a clever strike like that.
It is just about him getting fully fit after missing most of pre-season and the team getting used to how he wants to play, and that is something he and Liverpool are still working on.
Arsenal deserve to be five points clear
What hasn’t changed this weekend is that Arsenal are still the team to beat.
You could argue they could have done more against Chelsea’s 10 men, and they might be disappointed not to create more chances after the red card, and to only get a draw.
But, looking at the bigger picture, they have come out of a very difficult week in the Champions League and Premier League with impressive wins over Tottenham and Bayern Munich and now getting a draw away at the team who were closest to them in the table.
Against Chelsea, they were missing both of their first-choice centre-halves, Gabriel and William Saliba, and I don’t think it is a coincidence that, without them, they conceded from a Chelsea set-piece and did not look their usual threat from their own.
That’s another reason why picking up this point will be seen as a positive thing, and Arteta will not view the result as two points dropped.
Arsenal have now drawn their past two away games but they are still the most consistent side in the Premier League and that is why they are five points clear.
The league table is not lying at the moment, and it never does. They deserve to be where they are because they’ve been the standout side so far, and they are going to take some catching too.
Alan Shearer was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
