Kai Havertz scored twice against his former club as Arsenal strengthened their grip on top of the Premier League by upending Chelsea’s European aspirations with a stunning 5-0 win.
Arsenal striker Havertz, who joined from Stamford Bridge for £65m last summer, scored two of the four goals in the second half on a remarkable night at the celebrating Emirates Stadium.
Defender Ben White also ensured Mikel Arteta’s title push, contributing to Leandro Trossard’s early introduction, as the Blues’ recent revival floundered awkwardly in the absence of key man Cole Palmer.
The win moved Arsenal three points clear of second-placed Liverpool, who have now played a game more, while reigning champions Manchester City are four points back with two games in hand.
Relegated Chelsea missed a number of chances, with Nicolas Jackson largely to blame, as they suffered their first defeat in nine top-flight games and squandered the chance to climb to seventh.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side made the short trip across the capital after a painful FA Cup semi-final defeat to Pep Guardiola’s City and without 20-goal top scorer Palmer due to illness.
Blues academy graduate Alfie Gilchrist was given his first Premier League start in four changes as Arsenal recalled Takehiro Tomiyasa and Thomas Partey.
Arsenal, who suffered a devastating 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa in their final home game before their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, started brightly and took the lead inside four minutes.
Declan Rice was given time and space to advance deep into opposition territory before slipping in Trossard to elude Gilchrist and fire a low left-footed shot from a tight angle that Blues keeper Djordje Petrovic allowed to slide home.
Chelsea’s night could have gone downhill quickly but Jackson avoided a potential red card in the eighth minute after catching Tomiyasu’s ankle with his studs.
Arsenal, whose players wore black armbands following the death of former club chairman Sir Chips Keswick aged 84 last week, continued to be a dominant force.
Former Chelsea academy player Rice fired just wide from the edge of the box after a wonderful pirouette before the visitors almost grabbed a lucky equaliser.
After Jackson raced past William Saliba down the left wing, his attempted cut-back deflected off Gabriel and hit the outside of the near post.
Petrovic then made amends for his costly early mistake by denying Havertz and moments later produced a brilliant reaction to parry Trossard’s effort which hit Axel Disasi well.
A pulsating end-to-end encounter showed no sign of letting up.
Gunners defender White produced a crucial block to deny Marco Cucurella after good work from Noni Madueke, before Enzo Fernandez deflected wide.
Jackson inexplicably wasted a golden chance from Conor Gallagher’s cross as a breathless opening period ended in a flurry of yellow cards, including one for Arteta.
The Arsenal boss would have wanted his side to end the competition as quickly as possible – and he duly got his wish.
Petrovic saved well from Rice and Havertz before the visitors gave themselves some breathing space seven minutes after the restart.
After a short corner between Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Rice was again denied – this time by the leg of Gallagher – only for the unmarked White to flick home the loose ball.
The result was called into question just five minutes later, with the identity of the goalscorer particularly poignant for the traveling fans.
Havertz, who scored Chelsea’s winner in the 2021 Champions League final, was superbly released by Odegaard and parried Cucurella to lift the ball over Petrovic, sparking wild scenes in the stands followed by jeers aimed at the away side.
Jackson’s wasteful night continued as he hit the side netting, only to be beaten by David Raya, before Arsenal piled on the misery for former Tottenham boss Pochettino.
Havertz fired home over the right post in the 65th minute after receiving the ball from Sak.
White repeated the German international’s feat just five minutes later when his volleyed effort across goal after Odegaard’s buried pass inadvertently flew into the top-left corner to complete a humiliating exit for Chelsea.
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