Goals from Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz (2) and Ben White (2) saw Arsenal to a comfortable 5-0 win against Chelsea at the Emirates in the Premier League. The win opens up a three-point lead for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners at the top of the table. Arsenal are on 77 points, Liverpool 74 and Manchester City are on 73. The Gunners have played one more game than Liverpool and two more than City. Arsenal strengthened their position at the top of the table as they routed Chelsea 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium in a Tuesday-night thrashing in north London.
Leandro Trossard scored early to put Arsenal on their way, but chances went begging at both ends in the remainder of a high-class first-half.
However goals flowed for the Gunners after the break, with ex-Chelsea man Kai Havertz scoring twice for the league leaders to help blow the Blues away. A brace for Ben White saw Arsenal rack up the score, further adding to their goal difference advantage over title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, and it could easily have been more had Gabriel Martinelli and Fabio Vieira converted late chances.
A disillusioned Chelsea will lick their wounds, while Arsenal can now look ahead to their remaining four games in the run-in.
Arsenal’s win reinstates their advantage at the top of the table, three points clear of Liverpool and four ahead of Manchester City, with those clubs having one and two games in hand respectively.
But it was the nature and margin of the victory that could prove particularly important. Arsenal’s five-goal win means they now have a significant lead in goal difference, 12 more than City and 13 higher than Liverpool, which could prove crucial in the final standings.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – MARTIN ØDEGAARD (ARSENAL)
Arsenal’s playmaker was absolutely superb all evening, pulling the strings and outclassing Chelsea’s expensively assembled defensive midfield.
The goalscoring exploits of Havertz and White may well snatch most of the headlines, but it was Ødegaard who orchestrated Arsenal’s magnificent display.
PLAYER RATINGS
Arsenal: Raya 8; White 9, Saliba 7, Gabriel 6, Tomiyasu 7; Ødegaard 9, Partey 7, Rice 8; Saka 8, Havertz 8, Trossard 8. Subs: Zinchenko 7, Jorginho 7, Martinelli 6, Jesus 7, Vieira 6
Chelsea: Petrovic 7; Gilchrest 5, Disasi 6, Badiashile 5, Cucurella 5; Caicedo 4, Enzo 4; Madueke 5, Gallagher 5, Mudryk 4; Jackson 5. Subs: Sterling 6, Chalobah 5, Silva 6, Casadei 6
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
4’ – GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 CHELSEA (TROSSARD)
Arsenal have the lead and it’s Trossard who’s scored it. It’s a lovely flowing move as Chelsea are opened up, with Rice driving to the edge of the box and then teeing up Trossard, who blasts through the keeper from a low angle. That’s huge for the title race.
52’ – GOAL! ARSENAL 2-0 CHELSEA (WHITE)
Arsenal have the goal that their start to the half deserves, and it’s Ben White who wheels away in celebration. A corner was deflected only as far as Rice on the edge of the box, whose shot deflected straight to an unmarked White, who finished low into the far corner. 2-0!
57’ – GOAL! ARSENAL 3-0 CHELSEA (HAVERTZ)
It’s three and Arsenal are rampant. Havertz bursts clear, holds off the challenge of Cucurella, and pings a lofted shot over the onrushing keeper. It looked a bit like there was a foul right at the start of the move, but the video officials disagree and the goal stands. 3-0!
65’ – GOAL! ARSENAL 4-0 CHELSEA (HAVERTZ)
It’s party time at the Emirates as Chelsea’s former man bags his second of the night. Saka jinks across from the right who rolls it to Havertz, who takes his time before finishing low off the inside of the post. A short offside check is cleared and the goal stands. This is a big night for Arsenal, and exactly what they needed after the disappointment of last week.
70’ – GOAL! ARSENAL 5-0 CHELSEA (WHITE)
It’s five for Arsenal and it’s Ben White again… not that he meant it. A beautiful chipped pass over the top from Odegaard picks out White in the box, who looks to volley the ball across the face of goal with Arsenal teammates in space in the middle, but he miscues it and picks out the far top corner. His face says that it was certainly not intentional, but they all count.