Arsenal rekindled their bid for a first Premier League title in 20 years by beating leaders Liverpool 3-1 at the Emirates as Chelsea succumbed to another embarrassing defeat, 4-2 at home to Wolves, yesterday.
Liverpool’s hopes of sending off manager Jurgen Klopp as a champion of England were dented as Arsenal closed to within two points at the top of the table.
Mikel Arteta admitted before the game that his side could not afford a repeat of their 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool last month if they were to keep their title hopes alive.
As in the cup tie, Arsenal dominated the opening stages but this time got their reward with the opening goal. Bukayo Saka stroked home after Alisson Becker denied Kai Havertz.
Liverpool did not have a shot on target in the first half, but levelled after a defensive mix up, Gabriel Magalhaes turned Luis Diaz’s cross into his own net.
The visitors repaid the favour after the break as Alisson collided with Virgil van Dijk as he rushed out from his goal and presented Gabriel Martinelli with the simple of tasks to roll into an empty net.
Liverpool missed the presence of Mohamed Salah in their push for an equaliser and were left with a mountain to climb when Ibrahima Konate was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling Havertz.
Leandro Trossard then took advantage of the space on the right side of the Liverpool defence as he surged forward and blasted beyond Alisson.
Defending champions Manchester City remain just five points off the top but now have two games in hand, starting with a visit to Brentford today, to overhaul Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino apologised to the Chelsea fans after Matheus Cunha’s hat-trick handed Wolves their first victory at Stamford Bridge since 1979.
The Blues were booed off by furious fans after dropping into the bottom half of the table.
Chelsea were thrashed by Liverpool 4-1 on Wednesday and their week to forget finished with an even more embarrassing loss as Wolves completed the double over the woeful west Londoners.
Read Also: U-17 WWCQ: Flamingos thrash Central African Republic 6-0 in Douala
Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead with a composed angled finish from Moises Caicedo’s defence-splitting pass in the 19th minute.
But Chelsea’s lead lasted just three minutes, with Cunha’s shot taking a hefty deflection off Thiago Silva to leave Blues keeper Djordje Petrovic wrong-footed as it whistled into the net.
Pochettino wore an exasperated look in the 43rd minute when Rayan Ait Nouri’s shot deflected in for an own goal off Chelsea defender Axel Disasi.
he already fraught atmosphere turned even more toxic in the 63rd minute as Pedro Neto teed up Cunha to drive in Wolves’ third goal.
Cunha’s 82nd minute penalty, awarded when he was fouled by Malo Gusto, capped a miserable afternoon for Pochettino, who took no consolation from Silva’s close-range finish in the 86th minute.
With trips to Aston Villa in the FA Cup and Manchester City among their next three games, Chelsea could be in complete disarray by the time they face Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley on February 25.
“We are not matching the history of the club,” said Pochettino. “It is a different project and it is a matter of time but it is difficult for me to always say (we need more) time.”
