Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea: Xabi Alonso says Blues squad must "hurt" after Emirates Stadium defeat despite positives

Xabi Alonso has suggested that he wants his Chelsea squad to suffer after the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

The Blues went into the Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium looking to end a five-year wait for victory over the Gunners.

Morgan Rogers's early goal ensured that Chelsea were competitive throughout the contest against the Premier League champions.

However, goals from Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard inflicted Alonso's first defeat as manager of Chelsea.

Despite the positives that could be taken from Chelsea's performance, the Spaniard said at a press conference that the setback needs to "hurt" his players.

Alonso reacts to Chelsea's defeat at Arsenal

Analysing the contest in North London, Alonso told reporters: "It has been a game with different momentums, different stages. We started the game well, scoring first. The next 15 minutes, they were pushing us hard. We were defending low and struggled to get a little bit more, having the ball to be able to play a little bit more on the pitch.

"So, yeah, those 15 minutes were hard and we had to suffer. Once we have conceded the goal, I think that the game came back to the even level from them, from us.

"We have had a couple of good chances before the end of the first half, but at half-time we spoke; it was a very close game, very intense, when we had to have a really high level of concentration, not to give many advantages to them, to be in the game, to be fighting for it. And for sure, the second goal, we could have done a little bit better.

"It's part of the game you need to accept, because they are top side and they push you to the limits. They overload a lot on the left side with many players. And after that run from Odegaard, but we have kept going. The team showed really good desire and good spirit to fight till the end. We were close with a chance from Estevao [Willian], so it's a defeat.

"We are disappointed. It needs to hurt, but it needs to hurt in a positive way, because it's just game three, still many games to play and we know it was going to be a very intense game today."

What next for Chelsea?

Chelsea sit in fourth position in the Premier League table after games against Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal.

Next up is a showdown with Leeds United in the EFL Cup third round on September 9, the fixture viewed as an important game with no European football on the calendar.

Alonso is expected to make changes for that game with a showdown against surprise package Hull City to come in the Premier League three days later.