Arsenal reopened a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table as their set-piece prowess helped them to a 2-1 victory over 10-man Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
2025/2026 Premier League
2-1
Match Report
Jurrien Timber's 66th-minute header proved decisive at Emirates Stadium, where all three goals came from corners.
Arsenal went ahead in the 21st minute, with Gabriel Magalhaes meeting Bukayo Saka's corner to set up his fellow centre-back William Saliba, whose header found the net via a deflection from Mamadou Sarr.
Chelsea caused Arsenal problems of their own from corners, though, and after David Raya had made a superb save to deny Jorrel Hato – who was been held by Declan Rice – Piero Hincapie scored an own goal to restore parity on the stroke of half-time.
Joao Pedro saw a penalty appeal turned down and then had a header saved on the line, but Arsenal's set-piece proficiency came to the fore again when Rice dropped an inch-perfect delivery onto Timber, with Robert Sanchez in no man's land.
9 - This was the ninth time in the Premier League this season that Arsenal have scored a match-winning goal from a corner, now the outright most by a team in a single campaign (overtaking Manchester United’s eight in 2012-13). Again. pic.twitter.com/uHrMLxKQg4
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 1, 2026
Pedro Neto was booked for dissent in the aftermath of Timber's goal, and he saw red less than three minutes later when he scythed down Gabriel Martinelli.
Raya had to come up big late on, parrying wide Alejandro Garnacho's cross, and though Liam Delap had the ball in the net deep in stoppage time, Joao Pedro had drifted offside in the build-up.
Data Debrief: Corner records tumble
It is no secret that Arsenal are the best team in Europe from set-pieces, and this game was all about dead-ball situations.
Arsenal's 16 goals from corners in the Premier League this season is the joint-most by any side in a single campaign, alongside Oldham in 1992-93, West Brom in 2016-17, and the Gunners themselves in 2023-24.
Mikel Arteta's team have now scored a match-winning goal from a corner in nine Premier League games this term, which is the outright most by a team in a single campaign (overtaking Manchester United’s eight in 2012-13).
In fact, there have now been more goals scored from corners in the Premier League this season (138 in 281 games) than in the whole of last term (135 in 380 games).
With set-pieces playing such a key role, it is no surprise to see a relatively low expected goals tally for this contest, with Arsenal's 1.12 xG just edging out Chelsea's 1.05.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
5' Playing with fire! Sanchez almost gifts goal with poor pass
5' Palmer fires long-range effort wildly off target
7' Zubimendi creates space, fires long-range effort over the bar
10' Shot or clearance? Sarr mis-hits at point-blank range
12' Close call! Sanchez cross, Sarr control under Saka press
14' Eze attempts lob from halfway line, Sanchez saves
17' Still playing with fire? Sanchez hesitates, nearly dispossessed on pass
20' Timber crosses, Enzo blocks with stomach
21' GOAL! Saliba scores from corner with header. Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
29' Saka cuts inside, passes, Rice fires over
31' Zubimendi backpass to Raya nearly picked off by Pedro
34' Bad news, Palmer goes down without contact
37' Gyokeres weaves, shot blocked. Timber collects, tame effort
41' Referee blows whistle, Caicedo and Neto shove Incapie
41' Enzo does the splits after overrun, can't connect
45' Rice arm clearance flies towards goal, Raya with super save
47' OWN GOAL! Hincapie own goal from corner. Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
50' Saka's cut-in, deflected shot, Sanchez denies Timber
51' Enzo long-range shot, Raya saves
52' Chelsea corner, Raya rushes out and clatters into Pedro
53' Pedro close-range header, Raya quick save
55' Martinelli on as Arsenal substitute
56' James sends ball in, three attackers all miss
59' Yellow Card! Cole Palmer booked
60' Neto drives forward, Pedro collects, adjusts, skies shot
65' Yellow Card! Jorrel Hato booked
66' GOAL! Timber heads in from corner. Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
70' Second Yellow Card! Pedro Neto sent off
70' Rice makes tackle, but backpass goes out for corner
75' Yellow Card! Gabriel booked
75' Lavia and Gusto on as double change
78' Havertz and Norgaard on as Arsenal change
79' Yellow Card! Enzo booked
80' Eze shot, Sanchez with fine save
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Trossard, David Raya, Rice, Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel, Eberechi Eze, Martín Zubimendi, Saliba, Saka, Timber, Hincapie
Subs: Christian Nørgaard, Kepa, Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli, Madueke, Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly
Chelsea XI: Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Robert Sánchez, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, João Pedro, Enzo, Caicedo, Mamadou Sarr, Jorrel Hato, Andrey Santos
Subs: Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Jørgensen, Gusto, Garnacho, Liam Delap, Lavia, Josh Acheampong, Guiu