Arsenal dominated Chelsea with a resounding 5-0 victory,

Arsenal dominated Chelsea with a resounding 5-0 victory, further solidifying their position atop the Premier League standings.

Goals from Leandro Trossard, Ben White, and Kai Havertz led the league Premier leaders to a magnificent 5-0 victory.

An unprecedented triumph for Arsenal! What a monumental victory!”

The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell and Liam Twomey have delved into tonight’s outcome, a significant triumph for the home team with implications for both sides.

Have Arsenal secured a mental edge in the title chase?
Concerns raised over Djordje Petrovic’s position?
Does this settle the debate on Kai Havertz’s optimal position?

Result — Arsenal 5-0 Chelsea

4’: Leo Trossard fired in from inside the box to open scoring
52’: Ben White stabbed home rebound to double Arsenal’s advantage
57’: Kai Havertz made it three with sublime chip over Djordje Petrovic
64’: And Havertz scored again after fine work from Bukayo Saka
70’: White then scored with a cross to compound Chelsea’s misery

Pochettino: “We don’t merit European qualification performing at this level.”

Pochettino was also questioned about whether Cole Palmer’s absence was responsible for today’s defeat: “We can’t attribute the loss solely to that, but losing a player like him, who brings creativity and helps connect the team, certainly had an impact.”

“We need to reach the level where Arsenal currently stands. We’ve done a lot of talking this season, but the consensus now is that we aim to be in a different position next season.”

Regarding Chelsea’s prospects of qualifying for Europe: “At this moment, it’s hard to predict the future as we’re feeling disappointed after this match. Discussing objectives is challenging. If we perform as we did on Saturday, then perhaps. However, if we perform as we did today, I don’t think we deserve to be in Europe. In this manner, definitely not.”

Chelsea struggled to deal with Arsenal’s high pressing.

Arsenal regained possession 15 times in the final third against Chelsea today, marking their highest tally in a Premier League game under Mikel Arteta.

Pochettino: “We must improve our finishing.”

Mauricio Pochettino spoke to TNT Sports after Chelsea’s disappointing display: “I believe we didn’t begin the game on the right foot. Conceding early made it tough for us to bounce back. In the first half, we managed to compete after around 10-15 minutes, but we couldn’t maintain the same intensity we started with. We didn’t meet the required level of competitiveness. Once Arsenal scored the third goal, they found it easy to control the game.”

“I believe it’s crucial to be clinical. Just like in our match against Manchester City three days ago, we lacked clinical finishing, and the same issue arose today. It’s a challenging performance because it’s disheartening to witness your team play like this, especially when they should be full of energy. After putting on a fantastic display against Manchester City just three days ago, today’s performance leaves us disappointed.

Odegaard has been exceptional.

Martin Odegaard showed glimpses of brilliance in the first three or four months of this season, but since December, he has been outstanding.

Outside of Arsenal, I don’t believe the broader football audience fully appreciates the sheer number of opportunities he creates in a single game. It’s top-tier performance.

Arteta on Odegaard’s leadership:

More from Arteta to TNT Sports: “I’m extremely pleased with the victory, the number of chances we created, and the goals we scored. Keeping a clean sheet also demonstrates our consistency.

“In the first half, we lacked discipline in certain aspects, and we needed to rectify that in the second half, which we did.

“Regarding Martin Odegaard: We recognized his immense talent and believed he could develop further with us. We were certain he could bring something exceptional to the team.

“As for appointing Odegaard as captain: It’s always a consideration of how one will adapt to a different role. He has embraced it naturally, and his popularity among the squad makes him a natural leader. The respect and admiration he commands are enough to inspire everyone to follow him.”