Premier League
Havertz gala against former club: Arsenal dispatches Chelsea
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz (l) scored twice in the clear win against Chelsea. photo
© Kin Cheung/AP/dpa
He once shot Chelsea to a Champions League triumph; in Arsenal’s uniform, the ex-Leverkusen player has no pity for his former club.
Thanks to double goalscorer Kai Havertz, Arsenal FC is in the English title race Premier League put the competition under pressure.
The Gunners clearly won the derby against Chelsea FC 5-0 (1-0), thereby increasing their lead over rivals Liverpool FC and Manchester City to three and four points respectively. On Wednesday, Liverpool can follow suit in the city duel against Everton FC, and a day later defending champions Man City will be in action against Brighton & Hove Albion. City are even another game behind and still have a small advantage.
In a one-sided game, Arsenal’s victory could have been much higher. Havertz scored goals number ten and eleven of the season against his former club (57th and 65th minute) and missed other good opportunities. The ex-Leverkusen player moved from the Blues, whom he helped win the Champions League title in 2021, to his city rivals in the summer for an estimated 75 million euros. The other goals for coach Mikel Arteta’s team were scored by Leandro Trossard (4th) and twice by Ben White (52nd and 70th).
Arsenal have another city duel at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday with four games to go. In the Champions League, the Gunners failed in the quarter-finals against FC Bayern.