Arsenal hammers Chelsea to move three points clear at the top

LONDON — Ruthless Arsenal threw down the gauntlet in the Premier League title race with a 5-0 thrashing of London rivals Chelsea to roar three points clear at the top of the table on Tuesday.

Any remaining doubts about Arsenal’s staying power were answered emphatically as Leandro Trossard gave them an early lead before Ben White and Kai Havertz scored two each in a dazzling spell after the break to sweep aside a dazed Chelsea.

It was a powerful statement by Arsenal who have recovered impressively from a home defeat by Aston Villa and bowing out of the Champions League and with four games remaining they are piling the pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City.

Arsenal have 77 points from 34 games with Liverpool, who face Everton on Wednesday, on 74 from 33. Reigning champions Manchester City have 73 points but have two games in hand starting with a trip to Brighton and Hove Albion on Thursday.

It was the sixth time Arsenal have scored five or more in a Premier League game this season without conceding and in such a tight race they now have a huge goal difference advantage which could prove crucial to the outcome.

For ninth-placed Chelsea it was a humbling night as they suffered their heaviest ever defeat by Arsenal and a hammer blow in their bid to creep into a European place just days after their narrow FA Cup semifinal defeat by Manchester City.

Arsenal were brimming with energy in the opening half, peppering Chelsea’s goal with 13 attempts and would have led by more than one at the interval but for Chelsea’s Serbia goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.

Roared on by a fired-up Emirates Stadium crowd the hosts needed only four minutes to settle any nerves as a marauding Declan Rice drove into the heart of the area and weighted his pass perfectly for Mr. Trossard to fire home. —