Chelsea were humbled by title rivals Arsenal tonight at the Emirates Stadium. With the title now looking beyond them, fears are now mounting that Chelsea will fail to finish in the top four to secure a Champions’ League slot for next season.
Goals from Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott saw Arsenal race into a 3-0 lead before Branislav Ivanovic’s consolation header.
Chelsea held a five point lead at the top of the Premier League in October but started six points behind Manchester United at the start of this game following a dreadful run of results.
Chelsea are now fearfully looking at Spurs who are fifth and one point behind the west Londoners.
Chelsea face sixth place Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday and the future of boss Carlo Ancelotti will again be a source of debate should they fail to get all three points at Stamford Bridge.
As for the game Didier Drogba let fly from just outside the Arsenal penalty area on eight minutes but his daisy-cutter of a right –footer inched just wide of Fabianski’s right post.
Frank Lampard, starting for the first time in four months too until the 20th minute before having a chance on goal, but a left-footer from 20 yards was blocked and cleared.
Arsenal had a shout for a penalty on 21 minutes when Malouda clashed with Van Persie but referee Mark Clattenberg waved play on.
Samir Nasri took a fine free-kick a minute later which Petr Cech held comfortably.
Ashley Cole received a yellow card on 29 minutes after fouling Theo Walcott.
Van Persie got one three minutes later for a late tackle on Mikel.
A net four-man move by Nasri and van Persie saw the Dutchman lash the ball high and wide of Cech’s goal on 36 minutes.
Salomon Kalou received his yellow card on 38 minutes for a foul on Clichy.
Cech produced a brilliant save, tipping Nasri’s chip, from just outside the Chelsea penalty area just over his bar with four minutes of the half remaining.
But with two minutes remaining Chelsea defence was breached when Alex Song tucked home a clever left footer past a hapless Cech from 10 yards out.
It was Song’s fifth goal of the season.
Chelsea replaced Mikel with Ramires at half-time to provide increased pace in the midfield. To
It took five minutes of the restart for Chelsea to go two down. Cesc Fabregas picked up a pass from Walcott and stroked home into an empty net from the edge of the penalty area.
Number three came a minute later, this time Walcott slammed home a right-footed blaster after Malouda was disposed and the ball fell to Fabregas who slotted the ball to Walcott. Chelsea’s only response was to bring on Gael Kakuta for Malouda.
But Chelsea pulled a goal back on 57 minutes when a sublime Drogba free kick was headed home by Branislav Ivanovic.
Such is the lack of depth in Chelsea’s squad that Ancelotti’s next decision resulted in a right back swap of Jose Bosingwa with Paulo Ferreira with 29 minutes remaining.
A fine counter-attack on 68 minutes by Arsenal saw Nasri handed the ball but his deft clip failed to get past Cech.
Chelsea have just one win in the last eight and that was against relegation candidates Fulham.
Teams:
1 Petr Cech
19 Paulo Ferreira
2 Branislav Ivanovic
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
5 Michael Essien
12 John Mikel Obi
8 Frank Lampard
21 Salomon Kalou
11 Didier Drogba
15 Florent Malouda
Subs: 22 Ross Turnbull, 17 Jose Bosingwa, 43 Jeffrey Bruma, 38 Patrick van Aanholt, 46 Josh McEachran, 7 Ramires, 44 Gael Kakuta.
Arsenal: Fabianski; Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy; Song, Fábregas, Wilshere; Walcott, Van Persie, Nasri.
Subs: Szczęsny, Squillaci, Rosicky, Diaby, Arshavin, Bendtner, Chamakh.
The referee Mark Clattenburg.