Martin Odegaard fired Arsenal again to the highest of the Premier League because the Norway midfielder’s double impressed a 3-1 win in opposition to woeful Chelsea on Tuesday.
Mikel Arteta’s aspect misplaced management of the title race after final week’s 4-1 defeat at Manchester City.
But the Gunners signalled their intention to push City all the way in which to the wire with a much-needed first win in 5 video games.
Odegaard’s brace was adopted by a Gabriel Jesus strike because the hosts raced right into a three-goal earlier than half-time on the Emirates Stadium.
Noni Madueke’s second half aim was no comfort for Chelsea’s wretched efficiency.
Arsenal are actually two factors away from second positioned City and whereas Pep Guardiola’s males stay favourites to win the title, the north Londoners have not less than utilized slightly strain on the champions.
City will return into first place in the event that they beat West Ham at residence on Wednesday within the first of their two video games in hand on Arsenal.
After 10 weeks on the high, Arsenal have been knocked right down to second place by City’s win at Fulham on Sunday.
Three successive attracts, together with two blown two-goal leads, and the calamitous loss at City have led Arsenal to be written off as title race chokers.
But Arteta insisted this week that the title was nonetheless winnable and his gamers responded to the Spaniard’s rallying cry.
Troubled Chelsea have been ultimate opponents for Arsenal to get again on monitor earlier than a difficult journey to Newcastle on Sunday.
The Blues have now misplaced all six video games since Frank Lampard returned as caretaker boss to interchange the sacked Graham Potter.
Languishing in twelfth place, Chelsea are on an nine-game winless run in all competitions and face the prospect of failing to complete within the high half of the desk for the primary time since 1996.
– Rampant Arsenal –
Former Arsenal ahead Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his first Chelsea begin because the Blues misplaced 1-0 to the Gunners in November.
But Aubameyang, whose four-year spell with Arsenal ended acrimoniously in 2022, by no means had an opportunity of exacting revenge on his outdated staff earlier than being hauled off at half-time.
Foreshadowing Chelsea’s implosion, Cesar Azpilicueta gifted Arsenal a golden alternative within the opening moments when his woeful header was intercepted by Granit Xhaka, whose close-range effort was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal have been in full management and Odegaard gave them a deserved lead within the 18th minute.
Left in acres of house, Xhaka’s low cross eluded Chelsea’s lackadaisical defenders and Odegaard guided an excellent curling end previous Kepa from simply contained in the penalty space.
Ben Chilwell threatened a Chelsea equaliser in opposition to the run of play when the left-back’s run behind Bukayo Saka gave him a transparent sight of aim, however Aaron Ramsdale made a high-quality save to protect the lead.
That near-miss was a false daybreak for abysmal Chelsea because the Gunners turned the screw with a second aim within the thirty first minute.
Once once more, Chelsea allowed Xhaka time to cross into the world and Odegaard took full benefit of slack marking from Raheem Sterling to fireside previous Kepa from 12 yards.
Arsenal scented blood in opposition to spineless, disinterested opponents and the third aim duly arrived three minutes later.
Ben White’s cross was chested down by Jesus and when Xhaka’s shot was blocked, it was Jesus who stabbed residence from close-range.
Arsenal have been rampant and Thiago Silva hooked Gabriel’s header off the road, whereas Kepa made one more save from Xhaka.
Saka was denied by Kepa’s out-stretched leg earlier than Chelsea awoke from their slumber simply lengthy sufficient to scale back the deficit within the sixty fifth minute.
Mateo Kovacic’s defence-splitting go discovered Madueke and he deftly slotted previous Ramsdale for his first league aim since signing from PSV Eindhoven in January.
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