Solo at the top of the English Premier League… Arsenal defeats Chelsea 5-0

Arsenal, which is relentlessly seeking to remain a contender for the English Premier League title, beat its London rival Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday evening, leaving it 3 points behind at the top of the standings.

Arsenal responded emphatically to any remaining doubts about their ability to stay in the competition, with Leandro Trossard giving them an early lead before Ben White and Kai Havertz scored two goals each in a dazzling period of play early in the second half, sweeping away a stunned Chelsea.

Arsenal is 3 points clear at the top of the English Premier League

This constituted a strong message from Arsenal, which had recovered admirably from a home defeat by Aston Villa and exit from the Champions League, increasing the pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City with four matches remaining.

Arsenal has 77 points from 34 matches, while Liverpool, which will face Everton today, Wednesday, has 74 from 33 matches, while defending champion Manchester City has 73 points, but has two postponed matches, starting with facing Brighton & Hove Albion next Thursday.

This is the sixth time that Arsenal has scored 5 or more goals in a Premier League match this season. In such a close race, Arsenal now has a large goal difference, which may be an important factor in deciding the title in their favor.

In turn, Mikel Arteta, whose team will face rival Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday, said: “I am very happy with the victory, and with the number of chances and goals we scored.”

He added: “And keeping a clean sheet as well, it shows consistency. “We will enjoy it, relax and prepare for the next match.”

For Chelsea, who are in ninth place, this was a night to forget after the team suffered its biggest defeat ever against Arsenal and a heavy blow in its attempt to crawl into a qualifying position to play in Europe, just days after being narrowly defeated in the FA Cup semi-final by Manchester City.

Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino, who gave young right-back Alfie Gilchrist his first start in the Premier League, said: “The team showed their lack of ability to resist, and that is the problem. Arsenal is a very good team. But I think we allowed them to play their style.”

Lively Arsenal

Arsenal was lively in the first half, shooting 13 times against Chelsea’s goal, and could have led by more than one goal in the second half had it not been for Chelsea’s Serbian goalkeeper, Djordje Petrovic.

The homeowners, under pressure from the fans at the Emirates Stadium, needed 4 minutes to allay their fears when Declan Rice raced into the heart of the penalty area and sent a perfect pass for Trossard to go into the net.

Petrovic could have been disappointed by the goal, which he conceded from a narrow angle, but he made up for it with a series of quick saves to deny Bukayo Saka and Trossard and then reacted incredibly well to keep the deflected ball away from close range.

Despite being under siege, Chelsea, without Cole Palmer, their top scorer with 20 goals, had their moments to shine with Axel Disasi somehow failing to catch the ball in front of goal from a corner kick.

Nicholas Jackson’s shot hit the post, then inexplicably failed to hit the target after a brilliant cross from Connor Gallagher. But Arsenal increased their pressure in the second half, and Chelsea were unable to cope.

White made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute, after Rice’s shot hit him, and then Havertz received a wonderful pass from captain Martin Odegaard to shoot into the net.

Former Chelsea striker Havertz made it 4-0 with a low shot, then White shot a direct shot from an angle.

He joked: “The second goal came from a bad touch before it went into the net.”

It could have been much worse for Chelsea with the remarkable brilliance of Arsenal’s players, but the home team’s fans left the stands in a state of joy, after it seemed that the first title in 20 years was within their reach.