Xabi Alonso suffers first Chelsea defeat as Arsenal win derby

Xabi Alonso lost for the first time as Chelsea manager on Sunday, beaten 2-1 by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the first north-south London derby of the season under both men.

Chelsea led inside two minutes. Morgan Rogers, the summer signing Arsenal themselves had also wanted, took a pass from Jorrel Hato and scored his second goal since moving from Aston Villa in August. It was the first goal Arsenal have conceded this season.

Arsenal had a Riccardo Calafiori effort ruled out for offside against Chelsea, with him making his first start, before Kai Havertz levelled in the 25th minute with a low left-footed finish that beat Emiliano Martínez, Aston Villa’s keeper. Martin Odegaard added the winner as Arsenal turned the game around, with Raya required at the other end to keep the scoreline at 2-1.

The result takes Arsenal level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, with City ahead only on goal difference. Chelsea drop to third alongside Hull, two points back, on a record of 2-0-1.

Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso grew up together and have been friends since childhood; Sunday's derby was their first meeting as opposing managers.

Rogers was one of 11 arrivals in a Chelsea summer window that also saw 39 players leave the club and produced a rare trading profit of £120m, as reported here on 5 September.