Player Ratings: Saliba and Timber score as Arsenal move five points clear 

Find out who impressed after Arsenal moved five points clear with nine to play after beating Chelsea 2-1 

David Raya: 9/10 - a tale of two teams throwing-in corners, and set pieces. Thankfully the Premier League's finest keeper pulled out the heroics in the 92nd minute to earn up three vital points. You don’t rarely see keepers save those in swinging curled efforts - a bonus point for that save alone, busier than I would have preferred today. My POTM 

Jurrien Timber: 9/10 - Scored the winner to make it 2-1 to the Arsenal, after arriving late with a header from Rice’s delivery from the corner. A massive, massive goal that sees us over the line to three points, with another win over our London rivals. That’s all that matters 

William Saliba: 8/10 - opened the scoring with his first goal of the season to settle the nerves - with a flicked header that squirmed its way into the net. A shaky old day, and a shaky old performance all round but we got three points in the bag to go five points clear with nine games left to go. C'est magnifique. 

Gabriel:8/10 - Posted an assist for Saliba his partner at the back to get the opener, after keeping it in play at the back post. Booked on 74 minutes but I’ll take it - as will our King of Brazil as he and the boys add another three points to the total

Piero Hincapie: 8/10 - our man from Ecuador chipped in with an OG from a corner, and still looked suave enough to get an 8/10 from me in the battle of the set pieces at the emirates today. 

Declan Rice: 8/10 - covered a lot of ground and played his part with some decisive deliveries in and around the box when the opportunity arose - which was a lot - definitely a game of set pieces this one, scrappy performance all round, who cares, we go again, as Saliba rings out at the end.

Martin Zubimendi: 8/10 - the crowd were strangely subdued and apprehensive for most of this game but Zubimendi did his usual unsung work as our unheralded water carrier, just like he usually does

Bukayo Saka: 7/10 - his best work today was going down for free kicks, strange old match

Ebere Eze: 7/10 - floated in and out of this game but I for one am happy to see him stretch his legs for the full 90 minutes, I’ll never complain watching him in an Arsenal shirt it’s just how it is, sorry haters.

Leo Trossard: 7/10 - little bit of a nothing burger of a game for our silver haired jinking winger, still not a doubt in my mind he will come up good for us in a giant game between now and the end of the season

Viktor Van Battering Ram Gyokeres: 8/10 - not at his imperious best after last weeks heroics at the Lane but I’m happy to give him a pass and a bonus point for the afterglow of last weekend, especially after he is replaced by the return of Kai Havertz on 75 mins.

Substitutes:

Gabriel Martinelli: 8/10 - 55 minutes sent on to change the direction of this match, replaces Trossard. Indeed he does, as he draws a red card for Neto on 70 mins as dirty Chelsea lose their heads again, down to 10 men for the last 20 minutes. Definitely made a difference when introduced which is exactly what we needed at that stage of the game, another important, vital cameo off the bench. 

Christian Norgaard: 7/10 - good to see him get some premier league minutes as he relaxes a tiring, and whacked Declan Rice

Kai Havertz: 8/10 - bonus point for having him back. Something tells me he is gonna be the guy between now and the end of the season. 

View From The Armchair Verdict: 

Gary Neville on the comms can do one completely, he is an abomination. Neville gave us absolutely nowt on the commentary. It’s truly disgusting to hear him call Arsenal games.

He was absolutely willing Chelsea to do something, anything. Thankfully he failed to get his way, and we came away with all the spoils after Chelsea going down to 10 men swung the game our way.

PS: 

Watch this space from the View From The Armchair crystal ball, I’m reckoning a Kai Havertz will score a bigger goal than Mickey Thomas at Anfield '89 - you heard it here first. 

COYG!!

Happy St Totteringham’s Day pic.twitter.com/an1HjmQt1T

— The Gooner (@GoonerFanzine) March 1, 2026