{{Chelsea has stayed top of the Premier League table after inflicting Arsenal’s first defeat of the season at Emirates Stadium.}}<\/p>\n
Chelsea captain John Terry started as he decides whether to appeal against the four-match ban and \u00a3220,000 fine imposed by the Football Association after he was found guilty of racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.<\/p>\n
And he played his part in a victory that was set up by Fernando Torres’s clever early strike as he stole in behind Laurent Koscielny to steer in Juan Mata’s free-kick.<\/p>\n
Gervinho’s powerful finish put Arsenal level before the interval but Roberto Di Matteo’s side claimed the points early in the second half when Mata’s long-range free-kick took the slightest touch off Koscielny and beat Vito Mannone before he could react.<\/p>\n
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger regarded this match of a measure of his side’s title potential – and they had the opportunity to rescue a point only to find Chelsea keeper Petr Cech in defiant mood.<\/p>\n
He saved brilliantly from Lukas Podolski’s second-half header and produced a superb reflex save from Olivier Giroud’s deflected shot, the France striker also missing a great stoppage-time opportunity when he hit the side-netting after evading Cech’s challenge.<\/p>\n
The Blues will see this as a landmark win as Di Matteo continues to shift the emphasis in personnel and tactical approach after May’s Champions League triumph.<\/p>\n
He demonstrated attacking intent by field Oscar, Mata and Eden Hazard from the start – a selection that restricted Frank Lampard to a place on the bench.<\/p>\n
Inevitably, Terry’s every touch was jeered by Arsenal fans as was that of former Gunners defender Ashley Cole – six years after his move to Chelsea.<\/p>\n
It was the visitors, however, who settled better and took the lead after 20 minutes through a goal that was a combination of dreadful Arsenal defending and the opportunism of Torres, who easily escaped the flimsy attentions of Koscielny at the far post to hook his finish past Mannone.<\/p>\n
Torres should have doubled his side’s lead soon after when he raced clear with only the keeper to beat but he hesitated and could only manage a fresh air shot under challenge from Koscielny, with his subsequent appeals for a penalty ignored.<\/p>\n
The home side’s rhythm had not been helped by the early loss of Abou Diaby with a hip injury but they forced their way back into the game with Gervinho’s equaliser three minutes before the break.<\/p>\n
The striker collected substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross and punished Terry for retreating too far towards his own goal with a fine finish high past Cech.<\/p>\n
Arsenal’s improved defensive work under Wenger’s new assistant Steve Bould has drawn much praise this season but once again they were sloppy as Chelsea regained the lead after 53 minutes.<\/p>\n
Thomas Vermaelen was penalised for fouling Torres and the punishment was complete as Mata’s angled free-kick took a slight touch off Koscielny to drift beyond Mannone into the bottom corner.<\/p>\n
Cech had not been overworked in the first half but excelled in clawing away Podolski’s header and then saving from Giroud’s deflected effort after he had replaced the Germany striker.<\/p>\n
Chelsea threatened on the break without testing Mannone but the best chance fell to Giroud in injury time, the France striker rounding Cech but hitting the side-netting from a tight angle.<\/p>\n
It was the final act and Terry celebrated by advancing towards celebrating Chelsea fans after the final whistle and handing his boots to a youngster in the crowd.<\/p>\n
BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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