Story byMikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal’s win at ChelseaDaily CannonThu, January 15, 2026 at 8:30 AM UTC·3 min readMikel Arteta left Stamford Bridge pleased with both the performance and the result after Arsenal’s 3-2 win at Chelsea, but he made no attempt to dress it up as anything more than a job half done. Ben White, Viktor Gyökeres and Martin Zubimendi scored the goals that give Arsenal a lead to take back to the Emirates Stadium next month, yet Arteta’s focus was on the chances missed at 3-1, and the late Chelsea goal that kept the contest alive. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhite put Arsenal ahead early, heading in from a Declan Rice corner after poor defending inside the six-yard box. The first half remained largely scruffy, with the pace of the surface slowing Arsenal’s passing and leaving the game more disjointed than they would have wanted. Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesArsenal were far more assertive after the break. White and Bukayo Saka combined down the right, and White’s low cross was spilled by Robert Sánchez, allowing Gyökeres to finish to make 2-0. Chelsea pulled one back when an overload at the far post gave Alejandro Garnacho the space to score, with Kepa Arrizabalaga caught out as the ball travelled across him. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementArsenal steadied themselves again, helped by the introductions of Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino, and restored their two-goal lead when Zubimendi struck a fine third after further good work from Saka and Gyökeres. The opportunity to kill the tie was there. Merino was denied by Sánchez with a great save, and Gabriel headed over from a corner when Arsenal looked set to make it four. Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesChelsea instead found a late second goal from a corner, again through Garnacho, after Kepa failed to claim cleanly, leaving Arsenal with a one-goal advantage rather than a more comfortable cushion. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementArteta was quick to single out White, who combined an early goal with his role in the second.“I think we all need everybody to be at their best when we need them, and Ben certainly has stepped up tonight,” Arteta said.