LONDON (AP) - Arsenal scored three goals in 10 minutes to overwhelm defending Premier
League champion Chelsea 3-1 on Monday and keep the pressure on unbeaten leader
Manchester United in the title race.
Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott hit the target for Arsenal, which last beat Chelsea
in November 2008 and hadn't previously scored against the same opponent since May 2009.
Despite Branislav Ivanovic pulling one back with a 57th-minute header, Chelsea couldn't come
back against a team it had beaten in their last five encounters in all competitions.
"We concentrated on pressing, everyone was pressing - we didn't give Chelsea any space at
all," Walcott said. "Everything went well. We made Chelsea look average at times. We played
some great football and wanted to do it for the fans because in recent years against Chelsea
we've been disappointing."
The loss compounds the problems facing manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose side began the
season with five wins in succession but has now failed to win in the league since Nov. 10.
Arsenal is two points behind United in second place, while Chelsea is six points off the lead
and has slipped to fourth just behind Manchester City.
The win ends Arsenal's miserable run against United and Chelsea, who have shared the
Premier League trophy between them since 2004. Arsenal had previously failed to beat either
team in their last 11 encounters in all competitions.
"Belief was the difference," Fabregas said. "The difference between a good team and a great
team is very little. We did what a great team does. We were fantastic.
The league is so tight, anyone can win it."
Chelsea came close to breaking the deadlock after eight minutes through Didier Drogba's wide
attempt, but the visitors then struggled to impose themselves in the first half - even with
midfielder Frank Lampard making his first start since August.
But they did stubbornly prevent Arsenal from getting close to Petr Cech's goal despite all its
intricate linkup play. Cech wasn't tested until Samir Nasri sent a tame, dipping free kick at the
goalkeeper in the 22nd minute.
When Walcott broke free down the right flank four minutes later, Robin van Persie's failure to
support the winger meant the attack came to nothing.
Likewise, Van Persie could have done with a teammate in front of goal instead of blasting
over from a tight angle following a neat interchange between Fabregas and Nasri.
A deft chip from Nasri was heading for the top corner in the 41st before being tipped over by
Cech.
Arsenal finally had something to show for its attacking bombardment in the 44th. Wilshere
slipped the ball into the penalty area, and Fabregas nudged it to Song as he was being
fouled by Paulo Ferreira, allowing the Cameroon midfielder to shoot into the bottom corner.
Arsenal's lead could have been greater by halftime, and the hosts' domination failed to
spark a reaction from Chelsea. However, the advantage increased six minutes after the
break, Arsenal completing a sweeping move to make it 2-0.
Walcott seized the ball after Michael Essien inadvertently gave it away and ran forward
before releasing Fabregas, who tapped it into an empty net.
Walcott and Fabregas combined again inside two minutes for the third. This time, Walcott
snatched the ball off Florent Malouda and sent it to Fabregas, whose return pass allowed
the England winger to score.
Ivanovic later scored a consolation goal by heading Drogba's free kick beyond goalkeeper
Lukasz Fabianski.
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