Ten-man Arsenal missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as Diego Costa’s winner gave Chelsea victory at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The Gunners never fully recovered from defender Per Mertesacker’s 18th-minute red card, awarded by referee Mark Clattenburg after he hauled down Costa as the striker raced clear. The revitalised Costa scored the decisive goal five minutes later, turning in Branislav Ivanovic’s cross at the near post to make it nine Premier League games without defeat for Chelsea against Arsenal.

Arsenal’s potency suffered after manager Arsene Wenger decided to replace striker Olivier Giroud and introduce defender Gabriel to compensate for Mertesacker’s dismissal. Victory would have put Arsenal back on top but Chelsea survived in relative comfort to leave the Gunners in third place with Leicester City now holding a three-point lead over Manchester City at the Premier League summit.

Arsenal Suffer Pure Frustration

This was the day Arsenal were meant to lay the ghost of Chelsea, who went into this game unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games against the Gunners. Even Wenger’s bogey man, Jose Mourinho, was out of the picture after his sacking. Wenger has lost five and drawn six of eleven league meetings with his old adversary. And yet it was the same old story for Arsenal as the frustration of their players and fans inside the Emirates reached boiling point long before the final whistle.

The Stats You Need to Know

• Arsenal have now gone nine hours and 32 minutes without a Premier League goal against Chelsea.
• Chelsea are unbeaten in nine Premier League meetings with Arsenal (W6 D3).
• Costa has scored six goals in six games under Guus Hiddink (all competitions).
• Chelsea have won back-to-back Premier League away games for the first time this season.
• The Blues are on the current longest unbeaten run in the Premier League (W3 D4).
• The Gunners have failed to score in consecutive league games for the first time since August 2012.

What Next?

The Gunners are at home to Burnley in the FA Cup next weekend, and the Blues are away at the MK Dons in the same competition. Stay connected with us for latest news and updates about football.

Curated from Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea – BBC Sport