Reece James hails dominant performance from ten-man Chelsea against Arsenal

Chelsea skipper Reece James believes his team put on a commanding display by securing a 1-1 draw against Premier League frontrunners Arsenal, even after Moises Caicedo was dismissed with a red card in the first half.

Sunday's match at Stamford Bridge saw Chelsea controlling proceedings until Caicedo's 36th-minute ejection for a high boot on Mikel Merino, yet they still managed to keep their rivals from extending the gap.

A loss would have put Chelsea nine points adrift of Arsenal, effectively ending their championship hopes.

Nevertheless, Enzo Maresca's squad took the lead via Trevor Chalobah's headed goal soon after the break, despite the numerical disadvantage.

Merino levelled for Arsenal shortly before the hour mark, but Chelsea battled on and secured the point under pressure.

"We controlled every aspect of the match, whether with eleven or ten players," James commented.

"That performance sends a clear message about our progress and determination. We've built momentum game by game, and today we proved our growth."

This gritty showing stood in sharp contrast to Chelsea's earlier red-card incidents this season, where first-half dismissals of Robert Sanchez and Chalobah led to defeats against Manchester United and Brighton.

"I'm really proud," James added. "Our young squad stood up to the league leaders without backing down. We aimed to win and showed no hesitation.

"We expected challenges, but we believed victory was possible. Earning just a draw after sixty minutes short-handed against the top side feels frustrating."

For Arsenal, who maintain a five-point lead over Manchester City in second, the result capped a demanding week that included vital victories over Tottenham and Bayern Munich.

"It's been an intense week," noted Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who came on as a substitute in the second half following a knee problem.

"Major fixtures and strong outcomes. This was yet another key challenge. We aimed to end the week on a high, but it turned into a fierce contest.

"They pushed hard, and we fell short of what was needed to claim the win."