Five-star Arsenal hammer Chelsea in Premier League: Decoding the stats
Arsenal overcame Chelsea to open up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League 2023-24 standings. The Gunners enjoyed a superb 5-0 win over the Blues. Leandro Trossard handed the hosts a fourth-minute lead. Arsenal then scored four in 18 minutes in the second half with two goals each from Ben White and Kai Havertz. Here are further details.
Arsenal are well alive in a three-team title race
Arsenal are top after 34 matches with 77 points. They secured their 24th win of the season (D5 L5). Arsenal have scored 82 goals (highest) and hold a goal difference of +56. Liverpool are second with 74 points after 33 matches. Manchester City are third with 73 points from 32 matches. City can go back atop if they win their games in hand.
Havertz becomes first player to attain this record
Former Chelsea star Havertz owns 12 goals for Arsenal this season, including 11 in the Premier League (A5). Overall, he owns 30 Premier League goals (19 for Chelsea) alongside 12 assists. As per Opta, Havertz is the first player to score a brace against Chelsea in the Premier League having previously played for them in the competition.
Trossard races to 15 goals in all competitions this season
Former Brighton man Trossard played his 166th Premier League match. He is now involved in 60 goals (G36 A24). In the ongoing season, Trossard owns 10 league goals (A1). Overall, he has 15 goals in all competitions this season.
White is involved in 15 Premier League goals
Making his 139th Premier League appearance, Arsenal defender White now owns 15 goals involvement (G6 A9). He owns four goals and four assists in the 2023-24 Premier League season.
Notable stats as Arsenal down Chelsea
Arsenal have lost one of their last nine Premier League matches against Chelsea (W6 D2). Chelsea were unbeaten in their last eight Premier League matches (W4 D4). They had scored twice in each of their last six matches. Arsenal managed 13 shots in the opening 45 minutes, their most on record (since 2003-04) in the first half of a Premier League game against Chelsea.
How did the first half pan out?
Arsenal started brilliantly and were ahead through Trossard's fourth-minute goal. Each time Mikel Arteta's men went forward, they looked dangerous. However, Chelsea grew into the game and posed plenty of threat on the break. Nicolas Jackson's deflected strike struck the post. Arsenal too drew out saves thereafter as Chelsea stayed in the contest at half-time being 1-0 down.
Arsenal score four in the second half
The second half saw Arsenal start well as Declan Rice forced a save. Havertz came close to scoring thereafter as Arsenal mounted the pressure. A kind rebound fell for White who struck the second in the 52nd minute. Havertz made it 3-0 five minutes later from Martin Odegaard's assist. Bukayo Saka assisted Havertz's second before Odegaard set up White for the fifth.
Rice, Odegaard and Saka make their presence felt
Rice made his sixth league assist for the Gunners this season (G6). Skipper Odegaard made two assists to take his tally to eight this season (G8). Overall, he has 31 goals and 21 assists. Saka raced to 35 Premier League assists, including nine this season.
Here are the match stats
Arsenal made 27 attempts with 10 shots being on target. The Blues managed one shot on target from seven attempts. Chelsea had 56% ball possession and an 88% pass accuracy. Arsenal had 56 touches in the opposition box and 3.37 expected goals.
Odegaard follows Ozil with this record
As per Opta, Odegaard created eight chances from open play against Chelsea. It's the most by an Arsenal player in a Premier League game since Mesut Ozil created eight chances against Everton in October 2017.
Unwanted numbers for the Blues
Chelsea (9th) have played 32 matches this season, suffering their 11th defeat (W13 D8). Chelsea have conceded 57 goals this season (second-highest among the top 10 teams). Arsenal's 5-0 victory against Chelsea is their biggest ever win over the Blues across any competition in their history. This was Chelsea's heaviest defeat in a London derby since losing 6-0 to QPR in March 1986.
