CHELSEA 3 ARSENAL 1 TITLE WON
minutes he gave a cheeky smile that surely said job done, title won.
Just for good measure the man who replaced him, Cesc Fabregas, added the final flourish with a superbly executed lob that rendered Olivier Giroud’s injury-time consolation irrelevant.
Little wonder Russian owner Roman Abramovich was smiling and laughing with l egendary former strike favourite Didier Drogba in his box.
The last time these sides met at The Emirates in September Arsenal lorded it with a 3-0 win that forced Conte to change to a new three-man defensive shape that’s been the platform for their success ever since. From that day they have built an unshakeable selfbelief which even survived an early- January defeat at Tottenham that might easily have derailed their confidence.
Instead they’ve responded as champions should, and this win was another box- ticking exercise, ruthlessly applied by a Chelsea team who have their eye on the prize.
Wenger, though, was right to question the Chelsea opener which left Hector Bellerin concussed and not knowing the leaders had taken the lead.
The young Spaniard was isolated as Pedro crossed into the box for Costa to slam a powerful header against the bar.
As the ball looped back into play Marcos Alonso was already on the run for the rebound.
Bellerin picked himself up to make the second challenge but was flattened by Alonso’s flailing arm as the Chelsea star headed past Cech.
Referee Martin Atkinson awarded the goal but replay’s showed it was a clear foul on Bellerin who was helped away dazed and confused – much l i ke many of Chelsea’s opponents this season.
After that it was the Hazard show and not even a crude yellow card challenge by Shkodran Mustafi before halft i me could subdue t he irrepressible Belgian.
His goal soon after the break effectively put the game beyond Arsenal.
The Gunners were swept aside way too easily for a team with title aspirations.
Arsenal are often branded lightweight when the going gets tough.
And it’s hard to argue when you see richly-gifted stars like Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott disappear without trace.
By contrast, Chelsea have the cold-eyed stare of champions this season.
And you can be sure Giroud’s late goal will probably spark an inquest at their Cobham training ground on Monday morning.
Although it came way too late to save Arsenal.
And as a 13th season slips by without a league crown, maybe it’s too late for Wenger too.