Arsenal went three points clear at the top of the Premier League with an outstanding 5-0 win at home to Chelsea in the London derby on Tuesday night.
Following a typically rousing rendition of North London Forever, Emirates Stadium remained in full voice when, four minutes in, a progressive pass from Thomas Partey allowed Declan Rice to burst forward.
He in turn found Trossard who smashed it low past Djordje Petrovic on his left foot from a narrow angle for his fifth goal in his last eight Premier League starts. 1-0 to Arsenal.
With less than 15 minutes still on the clock, Martin Odegaard lifted the ball to the far post where Takehiro Tomiyasu rose highest to head over the bar before Conor Gallagher’s cross evaded everyone at the other end and Benoit Badiashile struck wide from a Mykhailo Mudryk corner.
This team ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2cNhoiqxTw
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 23, 2024
Declan Rice came close with a terrific curling effort from the edge of the area going just over the crossbar midway through the first half.
The visitors almost found an equaliser when Nicolas Jackson charged down the left wing and his cross was deflected onto the post by Gabriel, but Arsenal prevented Chelsea from growing into the game by continuing to look for a second, Havertz twice denied by the quick reflexes of Petrovic, initially at the near post after Ben White dispossessed Gallagher high up the pitch.
In an end-to-end encounter, Enzo Fernandez cushioned a shot just wide of the bottom left corner after Noni Madueke’s cross reached Marc Cucurella and his shot was blocked by White.
Bukayo Saka fired over the bar from distance but it was Trossard who again got the crowd going when he won a foot race with Alfie Gilchrist by the touchline before Arsenal went into the half-time break a goal ahead.
London derby delight ✨
Enjoy all the action from our big win over Chelsea 👇 pic.twitter.com/Xl2OG0lrYg
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 23, 2024
Arsenal started the second half with similar vibrancy to the first, Odegaard having a shot saved by the right hand and then left foot of Petrovic before the captain found Havertz with a clever inverted pass and Petrovic was there again to make the save.
The pressure paid off in the 52nd minute when a well-worked corner routine by Saka and Odegaard teed up Rice to have a go at goal and the ball fell kindly for White, who slotted it calmly into the bottom left corner on his left foot.
Reaction from the head coach.#CFC | #ArsChe pic.twitter.com/jNzvUDWkDe
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 23, 2024
Emirates Stadium went from loud to electric moments later, when an incredible curling pass from Odegaard was collected by Havertz, who lifted it beyond Petrovic for 3-0 – an emphatic start to the second half.
There were still 25 minutes left when Arsenal made it 4-0 as Saka shifted the ball inside to Havertz, who knocked it in off the post, before White had the ball in the net again for his brace when he cushioned the ball in at the far post after receiving the ball from Odegaard.
The boss LOVED that amazing N5 support, Gooners 🙌 pic.twitter.com/NvvdapWRdD
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 24, 2024
Mikel Arteta made four changes in the 72nd minute as Havertz, Trossard, Partey and Tomiyasu made way for Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Jorginho and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Fabio Vieira came on as Arsenal’s fifth and final substitution as Saka made way with ten minutes to go.
Rice almost notched a sixth goal of the night when he hit the far post having been found by Jesus, and sections of the ground thought Vieira had scored when his powerful strike flew into the side netting.
Seven minutes were added on and Martinelli fired wide on the outside of his right foot before shooting another effort straight at Petrovic and the full-time whistle was blown.
Credit: Arsenal.com