Chelsea, led by Enzo Maresca, drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge with Arsenal, the Premier League runners-up from the previous season.

Pedro Neto of Chelsea responded with a goal in the 70th minute after Gabriel Martinelli had opened the scoring in the 60th.

Despite having 49% of the possession, the Blues managed to take 17 shots, producing 1.28 xG and one significant opportunity.With 51% of the ball, the Gunners had a little more possession than Chelsea, but they took fewer shots—13—and had four great chances despite having a lower xG of 0.99.

The fantastic goal from Neto, which equalized for Chelsea and made the game’s conclusion more intriguing, was the game’s talking point amid the outstanding tactical struggle between Mikel Arteta and Maresca.

The performance of Pedro Neto against ArsenalAfter signing the Blues from Wolves in the summer for a reported £51.4 million plus £2.6 million in add-ons, Neto has now made 15 appearances and scored his fourth goal of the season.The 24-year-old, who can play both right and left wing, has already started several games for the Blues and contributed three assists in addition to his own goals. However, the Portugal international’s performance on Sunday afternoon was outstanding overall.

forth addition to scoring the goal, Neto won three of his six ground battles, made two crucial passes, finished three of his four crosses, and took three shots. He also put forth a lot of effort to track back and contribute defensively.His versatility was crucial in this match; he frequently found space to influence the game and isolated the full-back out wide.

But it wasn’t just Neto who made an impression for Chelsea; the French defender Wesley Fofana, who was playing at his best that evening, also put on some excellent defensive displays.

The outstanding performance of Wesley FofanaAfter playing a key role in this 1-1 tie and demonstrating his strength, agility, and speed of recovery against the Gunners frontline, Fofana received a 7/10 match rating from The Standard.In recent Chelsea seasons, the 23-year-old has battled for fitness and missed extended stretches of action. Nonetheless, the former Leicester player has made ten Premier League games this season, clocking in at 867 minutes.

By handling balls in behind, being active with Kai Havertz to prevent him from turning, and making sure Chelsea was strong in and around the box, Fofana won all of his duels.

Fofana was fast to the scene, making six clearances and a block even when the ball did break in the area.