Arsenal has revived their form, taking down Chelsea 3-1 on Tuesday, with Martin Odegaard stunning everyone with two goals.
The Gunners seized the game with three goals by halftime, with Gabriel Jesus adding his own to the tally. Chelsea’s Noni Madueke managed a lone goal in the second half, but the team’s uninspiring performance only further emphasized their struggling season.
Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations seemed dashed after their defeat to Manchester City last week. However, this victory catapulted them back to the top of the table, now leading by two points over Pep Guardiola’s squad. While City is still the favorite for the title, Arsenal’s triumph adds a layer of tension. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, saying they “wanted to earn the right to be top of the league.”
In contrast, Chelsea’s troubles continue. They’ve lost every match since Frank Lampard stepped in as interim manager following Graham Potter’s dismissal. Now in 12th place and without a win in nine consecutive matches across all competitions, Lampard conceded his team’s first-half performance was “too nice to play against” and simply “not good enough.”
Ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was in the starting lineup for Chelsea for the first time since their November loss to the Gunners. However, he was substituted at halftime as Arsenal controlled the game. Odegaard’s stellar performance began with an exquisite goal in the 18th minute, followed by a second one 13 minutes later. Jesus then notched Arsenal’s third goal a mere three minutes afterwards.
This victory is a morale booster for Arsenal, who were on a three-game draw streak and suffered a loss to Manchester City the week before. They now head to Newcastle on Sunday, while Chelsea will attempt to break their winless cycle as they welcome Aston Villa.
