Match ends, Arsenal 5, Chelsea 0.
ArsenalArsenal5ChelseaChelsea0
Arsenal moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League and made a potentially significant improvement to their goal difference with a crushing victory over Chelsea at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners backed up their win at Wolverhampton Wanderers with an emphatic performance helped by a dreadful display from a Chelsea side who looked like they wanted the season to end now after their FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester City.
Arsenal suffered last week with a home Premier League defeat by Aston Villa and a Champions League quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich but the manner of this win demonstrated the title momentum is now back with Mikel Arteta's team.
Leandro Trossard settled any early nerves when he beat Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic at his near post and while the visitors occasionally threatened in the first half, Nicolas Jackson missing a clear headed chance, Arsenal simply ran riot after the break.
The second goal Arsenal craved came as Ben White turned in after Chelsea failed to clear a corner before former Stamford Bridge forward Kai Havertz struck twice in eight minutes, the second a quite sumptuous finish from Martin Odegaard's magnificent pass.
As Chelsea subsided in embarrassing fashion, White looped his second over Petrovic. It pushed their goal difference up to +56 - 13 better than Liverpool's and 12 ahead of Manchester City - on what was pretty much the perfect night for Arsenal.
- 'So soft' - Pochettino says Chelsea 'gave up' in Arsenal defeat
- How did you rate Arsenal's performance? Have your say here
- What did you make of Chelsea's display? Send us your comments here
Arsenal back on track
Arsenal supporters may have viewed this meeting with capital rivals Chelsea with a degree of trepidation after they slipped badly and were outplayed by Aston Villa in their last league game at Emirates Stadium, when it looked like the tension of life at the top got to them.
The Gunners needed a fast start, which Trossard's goal gave them, and after that they slowly but surely rediscovered the fluency and threat that looked like it had deserted them.
Arteta's side found hapless Chelsea compliant opponents but the swagger they displayed as they piled on the goals in the second half will have done wonders for self-confidence before Sunday's crunch north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur.
At the heart of it all was captain Odegaard, composed and oozing class throughout, his delivery for Havertz's second goal an elite moment as it allowed the German to run on and fire high past Petrovic.
Every game is seen through the prism of a test of Arsenal's character after the manner of their late collapse last season, along with recent setbacks, but the win at Wolves and thrashing handed out to Chelsea here showed the resilience that has grown in this season.
They could have actually made this a more convincing scoreline such was their superiority, and the fact that Havertz was on the scoresheet twice against his former club, after a first-half performance that can be politely described as lacklustre, only added to the sweetness of victory.
The game at Spurs on Sunday will have huge ramifications for both teams and the Premier League title race but Arsenal's spirits will be soaring after this result and performance.
- Arsenal looked sharp and aggressive from start - Arteta
- 'Soft' Chelsea 'gave up' in Arsenal loss - Pochettino
Chelsea's shambolic show
The banner held aloft by a young supporter watching Mauricio Pochettino's side chuck in the towel said it all: "I don't want your shirt. I want you to fight for ours."
He will have left Emirates Stadium sorely disappointed after a gutless shambles of an effort from Chelsea, who could easily have suffered greater humiliation had Arsenal taken all their chances.
They actually had moments in the first half but the manner in which they effectively gave up once White made it 2-0 made for disturbing viewing for anyone of a Chelsea persuasion.
They were without talisman and leading goalscorer Cole Palmer, missing because of illness, but those on pitch made a mockery of Pochettino's pre-match claim that it was time to show they were not a one-man team.
It was another miserable night for Jackson, culpable in the Wembley loss to Manchester City, as he looked stripped of confidence and missed good opportunities that came his way.
Pochettino could only look on with disgust as his side were torn apart by Arsenal. If this was the end result of the wild spending spree embarked upon in the Todd Boehly era, then it carried all the hallmarks of money very badly spent by Chelsea's owners.
Player of the match
ØdegaardMartin Ødegaard
with an average of 7.97
Arsenal
Avg
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
7.97
- Squad number19Player nameTrossardAverage rating
7.62
- Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
7.61
- Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
7.54
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
7.51
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
7.04
- Squad number2Player nameSalibaAverage rating
7.02
- Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating
7.00
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
7.00
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
6.99
- Squad number20Player nameJorginhoAverage rating
6.90
- Squad number21Player nameFábio VieiraAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating
6.77
- Squad number18Player nameTomiyasuAverage rating
6.77
- Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
6.60
- Squad number22Player nameRayaAverage rating
6.52
Chelsea
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameSterlingAverage rating
4.47
- Squad number28Player namePetrovicAverage rating
4.03
- Squad number23Player nameGallagherAverage rating
3.94
- Squad number6Player nameThiago SilvaAverage rating
3.92
- Squad number42Player nameGilchristAverage rating
3.84
- Squad number11Player nameMaduekeAverage rating
3.60
- Squad number3Player nameCucurellaAverage rating
3.46
- Squad number2Player nameDisasiAverage rating
3.33
- Squad number10Player nameMudrykAverage rating
3.33
- Squad number8Player nameFernándezAverage rating
3.33
- Squad number25Player nameCaicedoAverage rating
3.25
- Squad number31Player nameCasadeiAverage rating
3.23
- Squad number14Player nameChalobahAverage rating
3.12
- Squad number5Player nameBadiashileAverage rating
3.07
- Squad number15Player nameJacksonAverage rating
3.04
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Raya
- 4WhiteBooked at 76mins
- 2Saliba
- 6Gabriel
- 18TomiyasuSubstituted forZinchenkoat 72'minutes
- 8Ødegaard
- 5ParteySubstituted forJorginhoat 72'minutes
- 41Rice
- 7SakaSubstituted forFábio Vieiraat 82'minutes
- 29HavertzSubstituted forGabriel Jesusat 72'minutes
- 19TrossardBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMartinelliat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Ramsdale
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 10Smith Rowe
- 11Martinelli
- 14Nketiah
- 15Kiwior
- 20Jorginho
- 21Fábio Vieira
- 35Zinchenko
Chelsea
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 28Petrovic
- 42GilchristBooked at 42minsSubstituted forThiago Silvaat 78'minutes
- 2Disasi
- 5Badiashile
- 3CucurellaBooked at 43mins
- 8FernándezSubstituted forChalobahat 67'minutes
- 25Caicedo
- 11MaduekeSubstituted forCasadeiat 79'minutes
- 23Gallagher
- 10MudrykSubstituted forSterlingat 66'minutes
- 15Jackson
Substitutes
- 6Thiago Silva
- 7Sterling
- 13Bettinelli
- 14Chalobah
- 17Chukwuemeka
- 31Casadei
- 36de Souza Eugênio
- 49Tauriainen
- 78Dyer
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 60,238
Match Stats
Home TeamArsenalAway TeamChelsea
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home27
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away1
- Corners
- Home4
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 5, Chelsea 0.
Post update
Attempt saved. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Oleksandr Zinchenko with a through ball.
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Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal).
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Attempt missed. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Fábio Vieira with a headed pass.
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Attempt missed. Fábio Vieira (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Martin Ødegaard.
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Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Declan Rice (Arsenal).
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Raheem Sterling (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Fábio Vieira (Arsenal).
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Offside, Arsenal. Declan Rice is caught offside.
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Foul by Cesare Casadei (Chelsea).
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Jorginho (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Fábio Vieira replaces Bukayo Saka.
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Foul by Conor Gallagher (Chelsea).
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Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Raheem Sterling (Chelsea).
Post update
Ben White (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Comments
Join the conversation
The "I don't want your shirt, I want you to fight for ours" banner summed it up perfectly.
He looks utterly lost, but at least he's got that entire team to keep him company, in a season full of terrible performances that one was a particular stinker.
Well done Arsenal.
Chelsea were woeful tonight. I was going to praise Arsenal on another clean sheet but when Jackson is leading the line for your opponents, it's hollow praise indeed.
To be fair to Arsenal, they’ve scored more goals then any team and have the best record for not conceding goals too.
It would be harsh if they were to miss out winning it this year.
Good luck to them.
The manager has absolutely no business coaching a football team. He knows nothing about the game.
That is the worst performance I have seen from any Chelsea team. EVER!!!
“Mauricio what went wrong for your team out there tonight?” … “Well, we started the game”
… wow …. 😂
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!