Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 3-1 win over London rivals Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
A dreadful first-half display from the visitors enabled the Gunners to race into a three-goal lead at the break as Martin Odegaard struck twice inside the first 31 minutes before Gabriel Jesus added a third from close range.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made a surprise start against his former club but was replaced at half-time after touching the ball just nine times and with Kai Havertz leading the line instead, Chelsea improved somewhat after the break. Noni Madueke scored his first Chelsea goal on 65 minutes with a scruffy finish from Mateo Kovacic‘s through-ball but the damage had already been done as Arsenal secured their first win in five matches.
Arsenal suffered an injury scare at the end when defender Gabriel Magalhaes limped off with what appeared to be a muscular problem.
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Caretaker boss Frank Lampard has now lost all six of his matches in charge of Chelsea while Arsenal return to the Premier League summit by two points having played two matches more than Manchester City, who face West Ham at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Rapid reaction
1. Shambolic Chelsea gift Arsenal chance to stay in title fight
After four games without a win and Manchester City moving into the top spot of the Premier League table, Arsenal’s confidence was shaken, leaving them a fragile entity at kickoff here. In those four losses, Liverpool, West Ham, Southampton and Manchester City had causes to rally around, whether that was chasing Champions League qualification, avoiding relegation or trying to win the league.
But Chelsea, manager-less and detached in mid-table, had nothing to bring them together beyond caretaker boss Frank Lampard demanding a show of pride in a London derby. That rallying cry fell on deaf ears.
Even in a season of struggles, Chelsea were almost incomprehensibly bad here at the Emirates, allowing the Gunners to find their stride from a slow start. While Martin Odegaard’s 18th-minute opener was well-taken, the space he had in which to take aim was laughable.
