Alonso admits Arsenal are tough to beat after Chelsea loss

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said Arsenal are hard to beat after his team lost 2-1 to the Premier League champions at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Chelsea started strong with Morgan Rogers scoring a stunning volley just 77 seconds into the game. But Arsenal quickly turned things around, keeping their perfect start to the season.

Kai Havertz equalized for Arsenal in the 25th minute. Captain Martin Ødegaard then gave Arsenal the lead shortly after the break.

Alonso recognized how tough it is to break down Mikel Arteta’s team. He also felt Chelsea had enough chances to do better in the match. "They are hard to beat, they are hard to create chances against, but we had three or four chances to score more than one goal. This is a process. It’s still early days for us," Alonso said.

"Not happy that we couldn’t get anything but we need to keep calm and carry on," he added.

Rogers’ early goal gave Chelsea a great start. The England international hit a fine volley that left Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya with no chance.

Arsenal thought they had equalized soon after when Riccardo Calafiori scored after a scramble in front of goal. But the goal was ruled out after a VAR check showed Ezri Konsa was offside when his shot hit the post.

The home team kept pushing and finally leveled the score when Havertz cut in from the right. He sent a low left-footed shot past Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

Arsenal took the lead shortly after the second half began. Christos Tzolis’ pass was dummied by Havertz, allowing Ødegaard to finish high into the net.

Chelsea fought hard for an equalizer and came close when winger Estêvão tested Raya. But the Arsenal keeper made a crucial save to maintain his team’s lead.

Ødegaard praised Arsenal’s response after going behind so early. "It was a big game, massive game, 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," the Arsenal captain said.

This victory keeps Arsenal on nine points from three games, level with Manchester City at the top of the table, while Chelsea stays on six points.

For Alonso, this was Chelsea’s first Premier League defeat under him. But he said this setback should not stop the team’s progress. The Chelsea manager stated that the squad is still focused on improving and competing in every match as the season goes on.