The first two goals, scored by Martin Odegaard in very similar fashion, put the Blues on the back foot, and Arsenal capitalised on further defensive hesitancy through a close-range Gabriel Jesus finish on 34 minutes.

We only had a Ben Chilwell chance to show for our first-half efforts, but we improved after the interval and got one back midway through the second period courtesy of Noni Madueke’s maiden Chelsea strike.

We will now try to arrest a losing run at Bournemouth this weekend.

The selection

Frank Lampard made a couple of changes six days on from the loss to Brentford. Former Gunner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was handed a start, his first since the return fixture at the start of November.

The other fresh face was Madueke, who featured from the off for the first time in two-and-a-half months.

Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah made way, with Lampard opting to match Arsenal’s 4-3-3. Our hosts, off the back of four games without a win, made a trio of changes of their own, Jorginho among those to come in.

Advantage Arsenal

A couple of defensive errors inside our box led to early moments of concern. Kante miskicked a clearance but thankfully the ball fell to a blue shirt, and then Azpilicueta’s header sold Kepa short. Granit Xhaka nipped in and it needed a brave block from our number one to thwart him at close quarters.

As Arsenal pressed high and boxed us in, Kepa was called into action again on the quarter-hour, clawing out a Bukayo Saka header from a left-wing cross.

But the warning was not heeded. Three minutes later, a square Xhaka pass from the same part of the pitch rolled along the edge of the box and reached Odegaard, who side-footed a powerful first-time shot over Kepa and in off the underside of the bar.

Chilwell chance

We reacted positively. Madueke embarked on one thrilling run down the right flank, and midway through the first half Chilwell got the wrong side of Saka from a Kante pass and drove into the box. A flying Aaron Ramsdale save denied his England team-mate a leveller.

That missed chance was punished half-an-hour in. It was a carbon copy of the opener, as what appeared a fairly harmless centre from Xhaka made its way to an unmarked Odegaard. Much closer in, he steered his shot into the corner.

It went from bad to worse four minutes later. Jesus took down a deep Ben White cross delivered from the right. Having initially tried to be unselfish and set up Xhaka, the ball landed back at the Brazilian’s feet. He fired a point-blank finish through Kepa’s legs.

Five minutes into the second half, Gabriel beat Fofana and Kepa in the air from a corner, but Thiago Silva was on hand to calmly control and clear off the line. Kepa then saved low from Xhaka, and Jesus volleyed the resulting corner wide.

Opening his Chelsea account

Madueke had been our brightest spark so he was a worthy scorer of our goal on 65 minutes. Kovacic picked him out running in behind the Arsenal backline, and the England Under-21 international controlled and finished past Ramsdale in one movement.

We had a couple of half-chances to reduce the deficit further but it finished 3-1 on a disappointing night in north London.

What’s next?

The Blues are back on the road this weekend, a longer trip to Bournemouth on Saturday with kick-off at 3pm.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Kepa; Azpilicueta (c), W.Fofana (Chalobah 86), Thiago Silva, Chilwell; Kante, Enzo (Mudryk 71), Kovacic; Madueke (Ziyech 79), Aubameyang (Havertz h/t), Sterling (Gallagher 71)
Unused subs Mendy, Badiashile, Loftus-Cheek, Joao Felix
Scorer Madueke 65
Booked Kovacic 80, Gallagher 90+5

Arsenal (4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Gabriel (Holding 85), Kiwior, Zinchenko (Tierney 73); Jorginho (Partey 86), Odegaard (c), Xhaka; Saka (Nelson 74), Jesus, Trossard (Martinelli 59)
Unused subs Turner, Vieira, Smith Rowe, Nketiah
Scorers Odegaard 18, 31, Jesus 34

Referee Robert Jones
Tickets sold 60,144