Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta shared his frustration and pride after his side’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, expressing a belief that Arsenal had dominated and deserved to win.

However, statistics from the game tell a different story, with Chelsea proving to be the more dominant team in key areas.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Arteta reflected on the challenging nature of the contest and his disappointment with Arsenal’s defensive lapse that led to Chelsea’s equalizer.

“I am very disappointed but very proud as well with what I have seen from the team again,” he said.

“We did the most difficult one to score the first goal but very disappointed with the way we conceded. The standards and our defensive habits were nowhere near. They have quality and if you give them space they are going to punish you.”

Arteta praised Arsenal’s response after conceding, emphasizing the team’s resilience and control. “But then the team reacted in a way that was fabulous with the desire to win, show initiative, take risks and be so dominant but we didn’t manage to score the [winning] goal.”

Arteta further praised Arsenal’s performance against a strong Chelsea side, adding, “They destroy every team that comes here in every way, but I thought we were superb. We were very unlucky. We have dominated one of the best teams in Europe but we don’t get the results. That is what is missing.”

However, the match statistics paint a different picture, with Chelsea appearing as the stronger team overall. Chelsea registered 17 attempts to Arsenal’s 13 and achieved a higher expected goals (xG) of 1.29 compared to Arsenal’s 0.99, showing Chelsea had the better scoring opportunities.

Despite Arteta’s belief that his side dominated, Chelsea’s overall performance and more promising chances suggest the game was more balanced than he implied. Chelsea fans will take pride in their team’s resilience, knowing that the statistics back up their side’s assertive approach in securing a valuable point.