Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea ended Sunday's 2-1 defeat by champions Arsenal with two players who began their careers as right-backs alongside each other in midfield.

After spending £349m during the summer transfer window, how did they reach that point?

It was Reece James, who began his career as a right-back, who failed to track captain Martin Odegaard as he scored Arsenal's winner at Emirates Stadium.

In the build-up to his first defeat as Chelsea manager, Xabi Alonso said he believes James can become one of the best midfielders in the world.

James performed well otherwise and spent almost half of last season playing in midfield. But there are legitimate questions about Chelsea's depth in that area after Malo Gusto replaced midfielder Romeo Lavia in the second half.

It was lax marking that led to Odegaard's winner, while a lack of creativity from the bench left Chelsea short as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's substitutes ultimately helped guide the hosts to victory.

"Chelsea don't have European football this season so they're playing less games and can concentrate on the Premier League. But the worry is you're finishing a game against the champions, and you've got two right-backs in midfield," Ashley Young told BBC Sport.

"You look at Lavia, who was injured a lot last season. The front line are going to send fear throughout the league but behind that you see the midfield and they're playing right-backs there."

• Read more here

Arsenal do seem to be capitalising on the foundations laid by manager Mikel Arteta over previous seasons, although question marks have been raised about whether they have enough options in attack.

That could be a point we return to down the line, but they had enough to complete the comeback against Chelsea on Sunday.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have a fearsome looking forward line this season, at least in their starting XI, packed with bags of creativity brought by new signing Morgan Rogers and rejuvenated Cole Palmer, who is firing once again under new manager Xabi Alonso.

But can the Blues mount a serious challenge this season with two right-backs in midfield?

John, Chester: Re: Paul - totally agree it’s way too early to be talking about anyone running away with it. City have always won 3/3. However, Liverpool last year when they went 5/5 required multiple late goals in games they didn’t play well in.

Al, Herts: Re Paul from Aylesbury, it could possibly happen again but the difference between the two scenarios is that Liverpool were literally scraping wins. Arsenal look good for their 3 points, and 3 points vs Chelsea yesterday was the correct result not lucky, like some of Liverpool's wins last season.

To illustrate Wayne Rooney's point about Arsenal's marauding captain Martin Odegaard, here is his touch map against Chelsea.

He had 66 touches of the ball, popping up in pretty much every area of the pitch, barring his own penalty box.

It's a good stat Paul.

Here's another, which pre-dates the Premier League.

Manchester United made a 10-match winning start to their First Division campaign in the 1985-86 season.

Ron Atkinson's side were unbeaten from their first 15 games with 41 points as of 2 November, after 13 wins and 2 draws.

They finished that campaign in fourth place, 12 points behind champions Liverpool and Atkinson got the sack, to be replaced by then Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson, now known as Sir Alex.

As they say, it's not about how you start, it's how you finish that counts...

Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney on the form of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard:

"Last season he did not have his best of seasons. Obviously he lifted the Premier League title but I think he had a really good World Cup and his form from that has carried on into the start of this season."

Rooney added: "I thought he was excellent. He dictated the pace of Arsenal and what I liked was his willingness to run forward, get beyond the [Arsenal] forward and make the penalty box and make things happen.

"You can see his playing with a smile on his face and when he plays like that he is so influential."

• Click on the play icon to watch Rooney's full analysis of the Arsenal captain.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal shelled out close to £200m on new signings during the summer transfer window but fell short of landing the elite forward they craved.

Former Manchester City goalscorer Julian Alvarez was on their radar but remains at Atletico Madrid, while the Gunners were also interested in Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Paris St-Germain's Bradley Barcola and Vinicius Jr.

While Rogers opted for London rivals Chelsea, Barcola moved to Liverpool and Vinicius Jr has stayed at Real Madrid.

Yet reigning champions Arsenal have started this season as strongly as they finished 2025-26, when they celebrated their first Premier League title for 22 years.

After wins over Coventry City and Aston Villa, they came from behind to beat big-spending Chelsea 2-1 in a thrilling derby on Sunday - thanks to goals from two familiar faces.

Kai Havertz, an Arsenal player since 2023, and Martin Odegaard, who joined in 2021, scored as they passed their first big test of the campaign against opponents who have spent close to £350m since the end of last season.

A maximum nine points from three games, one goal conceded and big players stepping up.

"I can't see anyone stopping Arsenal," former Premier League winner Chris Sutton told BBC Sport.

• Read more of the feature here

From Australia to Ghana, Nigeria and Northern Ireland, you have all got your opinions, and that's what makes the beautiful game so beautiful.

The beauty is that we all see things differently, it's a matter of perspective.

Premier League champions Arsenal clearly split opinion, but there is one thing that you can't argue with - the end result - Mikel Arteta's side just keep on winning...

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Reigning champions Arsenal came from behind to beat big-spending Chelsea in a pulsating London derby at Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea stunned the home fans by taking a second-minute lead through £117m summer signing Morgan Rogers' volley after the Gunners failed to clear Reece James' free-kick.

That was the first goal Mikel Arteta's side have conceded this season.

Despite their flying start, Chelsea had not kept a clean sheet in their previous 18 Premier League games and Xabi Alonso's side were forced to withstand wave after wave of Arsenal pressure.

Emiliano Martinez denied Bukayo Saka, while Jorrel Hato and Wesley Fofana each made crucial blocks before the Gunners levelled in the 25th-minute after former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz beat Martinez at his near post with a well-placed finish.

In a high-quality match, Chelsea - who spent close to £350m in the summer transfer window - came within a whisker of retaking the lead.

After captain James had forced David Raya into a save from outside the box, Pedro Neto hit the post after a wonderful solo run before Martin Odegaard settled it in the 50th minute.

The Arsenal captain beat Martinez after Havertz's clever dummy, the Norwegian's second goal in three Premier League games.

Chelsea substitute Estevao thought he had equalised right at the end of the game but Raya produced a brilliant finger-tip save as the Blues lost for the fifth straight league game at Emirates Stadium.

Good morning Mark, or should I say good evening to our friends in Australia who have already broken the back of the first working day of the week.

Whatever time zone you are in, stick with us as we pick through Sunday's main talking points, starting with Arsenal's metronomic start to their Premier League title defence.

Everton and Manchester United fans, don't worry, we will get to you shortly...

Everton's late comeback at home to Manchester United gave Sunday's second game quite a bit to live up to...and it did not disappoint.

Reigning champions Arsenal were given an early scare by an in-form Chelsea front line.

Chelsea's Morgan Rogers, a summer target for the Gunners, showed them what could have been with his second-minute opener, but Mikel Arteta's side battled back at Emirates Stadium to secure their third Premier League win of the season...

From a surprise deadline-day move to Everton hero, Ainsley Maitland-Niles could not have dreamt of a better way to mark his return to English football.

The former Arsenal full-back started on the bench in his first match for the Toffees since completing a £3m switch from Lyon, but came on with 13 minutes to play and ended up scoring a stunning stoppage-time equaliser as a resilient Everton twice came from behind to draw at home to Manchester United in the Premier League.

Watch the full match highlights below...

As ever we want to know your reflections on the latest round of Premier League fixtures.

Just click on the big yellow 'Get Involved' button, you can't miss it.

We especially want to know your thoughts on the four teams that played on Sunday - each have their own problems to sort through, some more than others!

Stick with us this morning as we sift through those issues together.

And for a bit of light relief, we want to know your favourite debut goals.

They would have to go some to beat Ainsley Maitland-Niles' stunning equaliser for Everton against Manchester United...

Here's the proof.

Manchester City and Arsenal are locked together on nine points and the same goal difference.

City are top on the strength of goals scored - seven to Arsenal's six.

Both sides had to work hard for their third wins of the fledgling campaign.

The Gunners came from behind to win 2-1 at home to previously unbeaten Chelsea on Sunday after Erling Haaland's goal proved enough - just - to beat promoted Coventry at Etihad Stadium.