Chelsea striker Diego Costa scored the only goal of the game shortly after Per Mertesacker was sent off as Arsenal missed the chance to return to the top of the Premier League table this afternoon.

Joel Campbell mishit an early chance inside the opening couple of minutes, while Oscar and Willian both tested Petr Cech at the other end before Chelsea were put in the driving seat in the 18th minute.

Willian threaded the ball through for Costa and Mertesacker stretched to reach it but could only take out the Spanish striker. Costa was surging through on goal so Mark Clattenburg decided that the German defender had to go for a professional foul.

Five minutes later Costa, who was regularly booed by the home supporters throughout, opened the scoring by charging to the near post and meeting Branislav Ivanovic's cross before Cech could get there.

It was the Spaniard's fifth goal in five league games after he managed just three in the previous 14.

The remainder of the half was largely dominated by Chelsea and they were close to doubling their lead when first Costa's near-post drive was saved before Ivanovic's header from the resulting corner was cleared off the line by Nacho Monreal.

Arsenal had one golden chance to snatch an equaliser with the last kick of the half, but Mathieu Flamini volleyed over after being left unmarked in the box.

Chelsea were content in the second half to not commit many bodies forward and sat on their lead, a tactic which the 10-man hosts struggled against.

Arsene Wenger sent on Alexis Sanchez for his first Arsenal appearance in almost two months and the Chilean's introduction did lift both the crowd and the players.

The Gunners huffed and puffed, but Chelsea's defence proved too difficult to break down as Thibaut Courtois only had one save to make and that was a tame effort from Flamini in the 87th minute. By failing to score, Arsenal have now gone six league games without a goal against the Blues.

In added time Chelsea could have put the result beyond doubt, but both Loic Remy and Willian spurned chances on the counter-attack.

Arsenal stay third with defeat and just two points separate them from North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in fourth, while Chelsea, who are still unbeaten under Guus Hiddink, climb a place to 13th and put seven points between themselves and the bottom three.