Goal fest puts Arsenal clear on top of league

London, April 24

Having inflicted an embarrassing 5-0 defeat on Chelsea, the Gunners have put themselves three points clear at the top of the Premier League. While their nearest rivals for the title race, Liverpool and Manchester City have one and two games in hand respectively, Arsenal’s barrage of goals gives them further significant advantage.

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, said: “A big performance, I thought collectively and individually we were really good against a really good team that was in great form and that was going to ask us a lot of questions. I think we responded really well. From the first half we were really flowing and playing with a lot of courage and making things happen.”

He added: “Really happy today with the result, it’s a great day for our supporters as well. So happy with the amount of chances and goals we scored and the clean sheet showed the consistency of the team. I congratulate them for their performance and for making our supporters proud and happy. It’s a big London derby and we know what it means for them. It was a joy to watch them and enjoy today.”

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Chelsea were poor from the start. Even when they played reasonably well in short spells in the first half their finishing was poor. Nicolas Jackson, who had a series of misses in the FA Cup semifinal defeat three days earlier, missed the best chance in the 40th minute when from six yards he failed to head in a cross by Conor Gallagher.

Arsenal went into the lead as early as the 4th minute when Declan Rice advanced from midfield and passed to Leandro Trossard whose low, left-footed shot, went inside the near post and that’s how the score remained at the break.

But seven minutes into the second half, the Gunners artillery came into full use just after Djordje Petrovic had made a fine diving save from a firm shot by Rice. The Chelsea defence was soon exposed following a corner when a shot by Rice was blocked but the ball went perfectly for Ben White to put in a left-footed curling shot.

Five minutes later the third goal arrived. Kai Havertz took a superb pass from Martin Odegaard, held off Marc Cucurella and clipped a shot high into the net. But that wasn’t enough for the German, he wanted a brace and that he achieved in the 65th minute. It was from another excellent pass to him in the box from where his low shot beat Petrovic off the foot of the post and by then the match was already way beyond Chelsea at 4-0.

Finally, with ten minutes remaining, White too, completed a brace when his side-footed volley from a chipped pass by Odegaard went in over Petrovic.

Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino, said: “Everyone saw we didn’t compete from the beginning of the game. After we conceded, the team was so soft. I’m so disappointed with the start because we were supposed to compete better. We were not aggressive enough and that is why we’re so disappointed. The team showed a lack of capacity to resist.”