Key Events So Far
- Five things we learned from Arsenal v Chelsea
- GOAL! Fantastic counter-attack by Arsenal! Chelsea lose the ...
- GOAL! Arsenal have doubled their lead! The home side move th...
- GOAL! What a terrible mistake by Cahill! The Chelsea defende...
- Giroud joins Xhaka on the bench
- Fabregas starts for Blues
Sanchez set for Gunners glory?
Alexis Sanchez’s 47th goal in 100 appearances for Arsenal is bettered only by the club’s record goal scorer Thierry Henry.
Not bad going, eh?
47 - Alexis Sanchez's scored 47 goals in his 100 apps for @Arsenal, one fewer than Thierry Henry (48) in his 1st 10… https://t.co/L2A9IXZ0Rw
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) Sat Sep 24 18:31:59 +0000 2016 Ozil was at his very best
So much for the big guy being a flat-track bully. Ozil was one of the biggest thorns in Chelsea’s He glided past Chelsea players as if they were not there. He threaded passes through the Blues’ backline all evening.
So it was fitting that he should benefit from one, finishing superbly from Sanchez’s return ball five minutes before the break.
It just wasn't Costa's night
At times you felt for the Chelsea striker, who appeared to be holding down the fort all by himself. He was hungry and at it but too few of his team-mates followed his lead.
In addition, Costa received far too little protection from referee Michael Oliver as Arsenal’s players engaged in a series of nibbles at him.
His goals against West Ham, Watford and Swansea have papered over the cracks. Here, the full extent of the trouble with Chelsea was laid bare.
Fabregas is a shadow of his former self
He hadn’t started a Premier League game before this demolition and now we know why.
Fabregas fiddled while his old side burned a hole in the Chelsea defence and poured through it.
With the Blues 2-0 down he was booed by the Arsenal fans he spurned for Barcelona two years ago and while the Chelsea faithful finally accepted the reason why Conte has not been having him.
It was a surprise to see him start the second half. It was no surprise to see him last just nine minutes of it. It may be some time before he starts a Premier League game for Chelsea again.
Chelsea as we know it are finished
The Chelsea as we know it is finished. The squad built by Jose Mourinho did well to win the title two seasons ago but a number of this team are no longer up to it.
It is going to be a long season for Conte who will obviously not admit as much but will know that a number of the squad slaughtered here in north London will not be back in a years’ time.
Conte was passive on the touchline as Arsenal ripped through his side to go 2-0 up during the first 14 minutes because he knew that there was little he could do. The Blues are a stale, tired, creaking side whose best days are gone. Arsenal could - and should - have scored even more during that remarkable first 45 minutes.
Chelsea have gone 2-0 down in each of their last three games now.
Questions will be asked about the young, exciting talents perennially farmed out on loan to leagues such as the Bundesliga when they should be freshening up the Blues’ squad.
Chelsea may not want to spend big on defenders, balking at the spiralling prices during the summer for the likes of Leonardo Bonucci at Juventus and others. But they need to. The manner in which Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez left them in sprawled on the Emirates turf for the second goal summed them up right now.
Chelsea’s psychological hold over Arsenal is over
It wasn’t just the impressive manner of the Gunners’ crushing victory.
It was their desire to wipe out the “inconvenient facts” (Wenger’s description) of the last few years. Before today Chelsea had been unbeaten in their last nine against Arsenal, failing to score a single goal in six of them.
From the outset here Arsene Wenger’s men were at the Blues throat and kept their foot on it once they went ahead. This wasn’t just a win for Arsenal, this was catharsis. This was demolition.
Five things we learned from Arsenal v Chelsea
Arsene Wenger finally ended his Chelsea hoodoo by inspiring Arsenal to their first league win over their London rivals since 2011.
Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring in the 11th minute, racing clear after seizing on a Gary Cahill mistake.
Theo Walcott added a second just two and a half minutes later, converting from close range from Hector Bellerin’s ball across the box.
The two goals for Wenger’s side had come after six games without scoring against Chelsea in the Premier League.
The impressive Mesut Ozil added a third, five minutes from half-time, when he volleyed home from Sanchez’s ball across the box.
The defeat for Antonio Conte’s side means that they are now winless in their last four in all competitions after falling 2-0 behind in three of them.
Here are five things we learned from the clash at the Emirates Stadium...
The referee blows his whistle for the final time and brings to an end what has been a horrible game for Chelsea. The Blues were all over the place at the back and made life far too easy for Arsenal, who were in scintillating form and made their visitors pay for their lax defending. In the end, a dominant first-half performance was enough and they were able to take their foot off the pedal slightly after the break.
A great win for Arsenal...
Arsenal have underlined their own Premier League title credentials with an impressive victory over Chelsea.
Mesut Ozil’s chip was the goal of the game and suddenly Chelsea’s strong start seems a lifetime ago.
Serious questions for Conte and his defence, but Wenger can rest easy in the week he celebrated his 20th anniversary as Gunners boss.
FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 3-0 CHELSEA
Gibbs cuts inside from the left wing on a great run and heads towards the edge of the Chelsea penalty area before trying to tee up Giroud, but again the striker is beaten to the ball at the last moment, just as he's about to unleash a thumping shot.
Giroud goes close! The Frenchman breaks through the middle of the Chelsea back line as he tries to latch on to a lovely pass forward, but he's closed down and put under good pressure by Cahill, which allows Courtois to dart out and cut out the danger at the vital moment.
Overall Possession Ratio
- ArsenalKey color for Arsenal
- ChelseaKey color for Chelsea
Possession
The fourth official has indicated that there will be three minutes of added time.
Chelsea attempt to come back again as they desperately try to find a late consolation goal, but this time it's a misplaced pass from Matic that brings a promising attacking move to a disappointing end, as it flies over the head of Alonso and fails to find the Spaniard being bouncing out for a goal-kick.
Chelsea patiently move the ball around on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area before Pedro picks up possession in a pocket of space over on the left-hand side of the box, but the Spaniard's attempted curling shot is awfully hit and fails to trouble Cech before sailing high and wide of the goal.
20 years of Wenger highlights Chelsea's team in transition...
Chelsea finished mid-table last season and based on this performance, you wouldn’t bet against them doing it again.
Arsenal have been a class apart and perhaps Conte’s inexperience of the Premier League is being brought to light by Wenger the veteran.
Ozil and Sanchez in particular have been superb for the hosts.
What a save by Cech! Luiz sends a wonderful, long-range pass through the Arsenal defence and into the path of Batshuayi, who then charges towards the edge of the penalty area, but the Belgian's thumping low shot fails to beat the former Chelsea goalkeeper and is deflected over the top of the crossbar and out for a corner.
Kante embarks on a marauding run down the left wing before being fouled by Xhaka, who gives away a free-kick in a dangerous position. The set-piece is initially dealt with by the Arsenal back line but is only cleared as far as Ivanovic, who then curls a shot straight into the hands of Cech.
Costa battles with Koscielny on the halfway line before being dispossessed by the Frenchman. The Chelsea striker isn't at all happy with the defender's challenge and shows his displeasure at the referee, which results in him receiving a yellow card for dissent.
Alonso gets himself into a grea position deep down the left wing before firing a wonderful low cross into the heart of the Arsenal penalty area, but it misses every available blue shirt before eventually being cleared by Gibbs at the far post.
Batshuayi twists and turns deep inside the Arsenal penalty area as he tries to take on Mustafi, but he's unable to do so and ends up giving away a goal-kick after the German's thumping clearance scrapes the leg of the striker.
Arsenal have made their final substitution of the night, and it's Sanchez who receives a standing ovation as he's replaced by Giroud for the remainder of the game.
A half-hearted Chelsea attack comes to an end, allowing Arsenal to break away on a quick counter-attack down the left wing. A cross from Sanchez fails to find a teammate before bouncing back to Xhaka, but the midfielder's thumping shot from 30 yards out is overhit and sails comfortably over the top of the crossbar.
BT Sport pundits slam Chelsea defence...
Antonio Conte is a manager who prides himself on his teams’ defensive discipline.
Today will not be going in any highlight reels for the training ground.
The BT Sport pundits have had their say...
Pedro twists and turns deep down the left wing before curling a dangerous cross into the middle of the penalty area. It looks as if it's going to be able to reach Costa near to the penalty spot, but Mustafi gets down low to send the ball away from the striker with a vital headed clearance.
Overall Possession Ratio
- ArsenalKey color for Arsenal
- ChelseaKey color for Chelsea
Possession
Sanchez shows great skill on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area before trying to thread a through-ball into the path of Cazorla, who had made a good run into the penalty area, but Ivanovic is just about able to stick out a foot to stop the pass from finding the Spaniard.
What a tackle by Bellerin! Pedro breaks through the Arsenal back line and initially looks as if he's going to be able to go one-on-one with Cech, but Bellerin rushes back and shows great determination to catch up with the substitute before dispossessing him with a fantastic sliding tackle on the edge of the box.
Fabregas fails to shine on starting XI return...
Cesc Fabregas silenced his critics in midweek, scoring twice in the 4-2 EFL Cup win over Leicester City, but couldn’t make good on his return to the starting line-up against Arsenal in the Premier League.
The Spaniard was hooked on 55 minutes and cut a forlorn figure as he made his way down the Emirates Stadium tunnel.
In truth, though, no Chelsea player has impressed today.