LONDON – Arsenal kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester United and delivered a hammer blow to Chelsea’s hopes of retaining the title with a 3-1 victory over the struggling champions on Monday.
Arsene Wenger’s side had repeatedly failed to produce the goods in crunch matches against their London rivals, but they finally rose to the occasion as goals from Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott gave them a vital victory at the Emirates Stadium. Branislav Ivanovic got one back for Chelsea but the damage had already been done and Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti could face a fight to save his job after his team’s sixth league game without a win.
Arsenal’s triumph – their first in 12 games against Chelsea and United – lifted them back into second place and within two points of the leaders.
In contrast, Chelsea’s title hopes are close to being extinguished. They are six points behind United, who have a game in hand, and even a place in the top four can’t be taken for granted on this woeful form.
Although Ancelotti’s team had taken just six points from their last seven matches, the club’s worst run since 1998, they should have been able to draw inspiration from their dominance over Arsenal in recent years. Lampard’s presence in the Chelsea starting line-up for the first time in four months after hernia and groin injuries was supposed to inspire the Blues, but the England midfielder was well off the pace.
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas hailed his team as “fantastic” after they regained second place in the Premier League.
Fabregas was in no doubt as to how the Gunners had won for the first time in 12 games against Chelsea and United.
“Belief was the difference,” Fabregas told Sky Sports 1. “The difference between a good team and a great team is very little. We did what a great team does. We were fantastic.”
