Arsenal got the monkey off its back on Monday by claiming a thoroughly deserved 3–1 win over Chelsea, as the English Premier League kicks into high gear over the holiday period.
The Gunners had not claimed a point against either Chelsea or Manchester United in over two years prior to Monday’s win.
“We were questioned about our capability of winning big games. We kept good discipline in the team for 90 minutes and put in a real team performance,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his post-match interview.
The win allows Arsenal to break up the Manchester duo at the top of the table. The North London club is now two points behind Manchester United, which has played one less match.
“We’re in December and in touch with Manchester United. We have to be at our best and continue to improve. I hope the victory tonight will convince the team that we are moving in the right direction,” Wenger said.
But more dramatically, the defending champions Chelsea are now languishing in fourth place, six points behind United.
The loss also leaves Chelsea with one win in their last eight Premier League games.
“We missed a lot of passes and didn’t play so well,” Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said on www.chelseafc.com. “In the second half we started badly, we conceded two goals in three minutes and after that it was impossible to come back into the game.”
