Before the trip to Arsenal on Tuesday night (April 23), Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino addressed Cole Palmer’s absence due to illness. The Argentine urged his players to rise to the challenge and mask the absence of their leading scorer, prove they were not “Cole Palmer FC.” It is safe to say none of the Chelsea players lived up to Pochettino’s expectations.
The Pensioners ominously conceded in the fourth minute but looked decent in the remainder of the first half. However, it all came undone in the second 45, as the Gunners added four more goals to their tally to bag an emphatic 5-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal Dominate Chelsea In Premier League Bout
The Premier League leaders came into Tuesday’s game as heavy favorites, but not many would have expected to see such a one-sided affair. It took them only four minutes to score the first goal, which came at the end of a sweeping team move. After receiving the ball from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz played it to Thomas Partey. The defensive midfielder then played the ball onto Declan Rice’s path, who released Leandro Trossard down the left. The nimble-footed forward crashed into the box from the left and dispatched a pile driver of a shot. Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic was the favorite to save the shot at the near post but he somehow let it slip.
After conceding the early goal, Chelsea tried their hardest to plug the leaks at the back. The north Londoners still got a few chances but failed to add to their advantage in the first half. Seven minutes into the second half, right-back Ben White scored Arsenal’s second goal of the night, dispatching Rice’s rebound with ease. Five minutes later, former Chelsea man Havertz got himself on the scoresheet, latching on to Martin Odegaard’s through-ball and beating Petrovic in a one-on-one.
In the 65th minute, Havertz doubled his money, shuffling Saka’s pass onto his left foot before thumping it home. Five minutes after Arsenal’s fourth, White dispatched a venomous volley to send Odegaard’s lobbed delivery into the back of the net, capping off a five-star performance for the hosts.
Ben White Was The Standout Performer Against The Blues
Arsenal right-back White played the best game of his season on Tuesday. Not only did he score two excellent goals, but he also made it a point to torment the opposition every chance he got. He sprayed the ball around with grace, created goalscoring opportunities, held his ground in duels, and recovered the ball with urgency. Throughout the 90 minutes, White created three chances, played 12 passes into the final third, won both his attempted tackles, and came out on top in seven of 10 duels. A Man of the Match display from the 26-year-old!
