Arsenal delivered a resounding 5-0 victory over Chelsea in a Premier League fixture on Tuesday night, propelled by stellar performances from Kai Havertz and Ben White.
The win not only solidifies Arsenal’s position at the top of the Premier League but also intensifies the pressure on title contenders Liverpool and Manchester City.
Havertz and White each netted twice in the match, while Leandro Trossard also found the back of the net, contributing to Arsenal’s historic triumph over Chelsea. With this win, Arsenal now sit three points clear of Liverpool and four ahead of Manchester City in the league standings.
While Ma City still hold the fate of the title in their hands with two games in hand, Liverpool, who have played one game less than Arsenal, will have to overcome Everton in the upcoming Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
Arsenal’s commanding goal difference advantage further cements their position as front-runners in the title race, making them a formidable force to contend with in the remainder of the season under the leadership of manager Mikel Arteta.
“We have made our people very proud, it is a big derby for us and I know what it means,” said Arteta.
“We started the game really well but didn’t convert all our chances – we were a bit sloppy in certain areas of the pitch.
“In the second half, we were much more disciplined and created chances and were ruthless in front of goal.”
Chelsea and Arsenal’s title rivals were dealt a huge blow before kick-off as the Blues’ danger man Cole Palmer was ruled out due to illness.
Palmer has scored or assisted nearly 50 per cent of Chelsea’s Premier League goals this season and his presence was badly missed by the visitors.
Despite enduring a disappointing first season under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea had been unbeaten in eight consecutive league games before their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.
But they were blown away by an Arsenal side keen to reaffirm their title credentials after losing their last home game to Aston Villa.
“So difficult (a) result and performance (to accept) because it is not nice to see your team playing like this from the beginning of the game,” said Pochettino.
“Today we didn’t compete against a team fighting for the Premier League. We need to be aware we need to compete differently.”