‘They are hard to beat’ — Alonso reacts as Arsenal overcome Chelsea

Arsenal displayed the tenacity of champions as they fought back from a first-half deficit to defeat Chelsea 2-1 at Emirates Stadium, preserving their flawless start to the Premier League campaign. The match began with Morgan Rogers scoring for Chelsea just 77 seconds into the game, capitalizing on a confused Arsenal defense following a free-kick.

The £117 million signing, Martin Odegaard, conceded Arsenal's first goal of the season with a volley, ending their defensive record and giving Chelsea an early advantage. A subsequent incident involving Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes left Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez injured, but he returned to play. Arsenal's resilience shone through as they pressured Chelsea and limited their opponent's attacks.

Emiliano Martinez made crucial saves from Bukayo Saka and Jorrel Hato, while Gabriel blocked crucial attempts from Wesley Fofana and Kai Havertz. The score remained level until the 25th minute when Kai Havertz equalized for Arsenal, showcasing his composure in front of the post after beating Martinez. In the second half, Martin Odegaard scored the decisive goal, capitalizing on a moment of vulnerability in Chelsea's defense.

The victory extended Arsenal's unbeaten streak to eight games and solidified their perfect start, tying them alongside Manchester City at the top of the table. Arteta praised his team's fighting spirit, stating, "It was a big game, massive game, [against a] tough opponent and we got there in the end, so brilliant, our mentality is to keep fighting.

We have shown that many times. We never want to concede early but the reaction is top. We got our reward in [the] end and the response was brilliant."