April 24 – Arsenal are cemented their challenge in the final stretches of the Premier League title race with an emphatic 5-0 win against London rivals Chelsea at the Emirates stadium on Tuesday.
Having arguably the hardest of the run-ins of title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, and improving Chelsea potentially looked like a tricky hurdle. In the end they anything but. Arsenal face local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, themselves chasing the fourth Champions League spot, this weekend.
Chelsea looked lost without their talisman Cole Palmer, even after manager Mauricio Pochettino insisted that the match presented an opportunity for other players to step up to remind fans that Chelsea isn’t just the ‘Cole Palmer Club’.
Arsenal’s in-form winger Leandro Trossard opened the scoring after just four minutes, which remained the only goal heading into the second half.
Defender Ben White and former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz (pictured) grabbed two goals apiece in the second half, including a remarkable looping finish into the top corner by the Englishman.
Havertz was not shy about celebrating his brace against his former club. The German played at Chelsea for three years and was an important part of their 2021 Champions League triumph, scoring the winning goal against City in the final.
Crossing to the north side of the English capital in the summer, Havertz has enjoyed a fruitful season headlined by 11 league goals and five assists from a variety of positions. Despite coming under criticism for his wasteful finishing this season, particularly from Chelsea fans, Havertz has become an important part of Arteta’s lineup.
“What I would like is that they can manage themselves in the dressing room, they know what we are playing for, they are so excited for it and they are so at it,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
“All of them, the players that haven’t played more, they have a very important role and they have been outstanding and that’s what holds the team together.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1731637464labto1731637464ofdlr1731637464owedi1731637464sni@g1731637464niwe.1731637464yrrah1731637464