Kai Havertz and Mikel Arteta Arsenal reaction speaks volumes - they knew what was coming vs Chelsea

You could almost predict the ending to the Chelsea vs Arsenal clash at Stamford Bridge when William Saliba's cross came into the Blues box.

More than the five added minutes of injury-time had been played when the Arsenal defender found himself free on the left-hand side of the Chelsea box. Looking up he played a sumptuous ball across the area that just needed to be turned home for a priceless win.

Instead, the ball was prodded wide and the referee's whistle sounded shortly afterwards.

READ MORE:Ruben Dias offers Arsenal fresh Premier League title hope with Man City and Liverpool verdict

READ MORE:Mikel Arteta has already failed in title ambition but Arsenal aren't out of the race yet

Kai Havertz was aghast. Mikel Arteta slumped to the turf on the sidelines. They both knew that a big opportunity - and perhaps their Premier League title dreams - had just slipped by.

On the face of it a draw away at their London rivals, who have started the season so well, would not be a bad result. But after just one point in their three previous matches, Arsenal needed to win.

And with that chance they should have. But neither Havertz nor Arteta should be surprised by the outcome. The ball across the box by Saliba was either being put in the back of the net or being kept out - that much is always true - but it was never, ever going to be Havertz that got on the end of it.

The man sliding in and taking the ball off the waiting foot of Havertz was Leandro Trossard. The Belgian has got quite adept at scoring important goals for Arsenal and this one would have been up there with the most important.

But when he doesn't score them, you can be certain he will be trying. Trossard loves to shoot. Even when he should probably pass the ball, if there is a shooting opportunity, he will likely take it.

Trossard averages a shot every 41 minutes in the Premier League this season and has only been out-shot by Bukayo Saka and Havertz in Arsenal colours this year. He had more shots than anyone else bar Gabriel Martinelli in red against Chelsea and he was only on the pitch for 20 minutes!

He does not have a single assist to his name. That's not to say he's not creative, because he is, but he loves scoring goals and there was no chance he was going to leave that inviting ball across the box for his teammate, no matter how much better placed Havertz was to guide it home.