Konsa thrilled with performance on full Arsenal debut

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Ezri Konsa revealed he was thrilled with his performance on his full debut for Arsenal as they beat rivals Chelsea.

The Gunners came from behind to defeat the Blues 2-1 at Emirates Stadium, with Martin Odegaard netting the winner early on in the second half.

Konsa made his Arsenal debut off the bench against former side Aston Villa, but his first start came against Chelsea.

He became the sixth player to make their first Premier League start for Arsenal in a match against Chelsea, and first since Jakub Kiwior in May 2023.

Konsa won eight of his 12 duels against Chelsea, the most of any Arsenal player, while also winning possession five times (joint-high with Christos Tzolis) and two of his three tackles.

His highlight came in the second half as a sliding challenge on former team-mate Morgan Rogers drew appreciation from the home fans, and Konsa expressed his love for such situations.

“I love duels,” Konsa said. “As a defender, I think these are things you have to cherish.

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 7, 2026

“For me personally, I love a challenge. I love being in duels. I had a few and I’m glad I came out on top.

“[Rogers] is a good friend of mine, but on the pitch, it’s a different story. I saw the opportunity to go in and make the tackle and it came off.

“I really enjoyed the occasion. My first London derby and I thought the fans were fantastic, superb. They stayed behind us throughout the whole game; without them, these games are impossible.

“I felt right at home from day one. The boys have been top, the staff have been top. Like I said before in previous interviews, this style really suits me – I love the boss’ way of playing.

“The amount of quality that we have and the amount of quality I have around me makes things easier.”

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