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
- ArsenalArsenalArsenal
- ChelseaChelseaChelsea
Arsenal
Avg
Squad number8Player nameØdegaard
Average rating
7.97
Squad number19Player nameTrossard
Average rating
7.62
Squad number41Player nameRice
Average rating
7.61
Squad number4Player nameWhite
Average rating
7.54
Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Average rating
7.51
Squad number7Player nameSaka
Average rating
7.04
Squad number2Player nameSaliba
Average rating
7.02
Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
Average rating
7.00
Squad number6Player nameGabriel Magalhães
Average rating
7.00
See AlsoNFL News, Scores, Standings & StatsHeadbustin' 2022 | Fantasy FootballCHE vs LKN Dream11 Prediction, Match 39 - Fantasy Cricket tips, Teams, Head to Head, MA Chidambaram Stadium Pitch ReportPunjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans, IPL 2024: Match Preview, Fantasy Picks, Pitch And Weather Reports | Cricket NewsSquad number11Player nameGabriel Martinelli
Average rating
6.99
Squad number20Player nameJorginho
Average rating
6.90
Squad number21Player nameFábio Vieira
Average rating
6.86
Squad number5Player namePartey
Average rating
6.77
Squad number18Player nameTomiyasu
Average rating
6.77
Squad number35Player nameZinchenko
Average rating
6.60
Squad number22Player nameRaya
Average rating
6.52
Chelsea
Avg
Squad number7Player nameSterling
Average rating
4.47
Squad number28Player namePetrovic
Average rating
4.03
Squad number23Player nameGallagher
Average rating
3.94
Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
Average rating
3.92
Squad number42Player nameGilchrist
Average rating
3.84
Squad number11Player nameMadueke
Average rating
3.60
Squad number3Player nameCucurella
Average rating
3.46
Squad number2Player nameDisasi
Average rating
3.33
Squad number10Player nameMudryk
Average rating
3.33
Squad number8Player nameFernández
Average rating
3.33
Squad number25Player nameCaicedo
Average rating
3.25
Squad number31Player nameCasadei
Average rating
3.23
Squad number14Player nameChalobah
Average rating
3.12
Squad number5Player nameBadiashile
Average rating
3.07
Squad number15Player nameJackson
Average rating
3.04
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
22Raya
4White2Saliba6Gabriel18Tomiyasu
8Ødegaard5Partey41Rice
7Saka29Havertz19Trossard
- 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
42Gilchrist2Disasi5Badiashile3Cucurella
8Fernández25Caicedo
11Madueke23Gallagher10Mudryk
15Jackson
- 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
Match ends, Arsenal 5, Chelsea 0.
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.
Post update
Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal).
Post update
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.
Post update
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.
Post update
Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Declan Rice (Arsenal).
Post update
Raheem Sterling (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Fábio Vieira (Arsenal).
Post update
Offside, Arsenal. Declan Rice is caught offside.
Post update
Foul by Cesare Casadei (Chelsea).
Post update
Jorginho (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Fábio Vieira replaces Bukayo Saka.
Post update
Foul by Conor Gallagher (Chelsea).
Post update
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.
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