Society Gists

​Arsenal rarely roll over top-four opponents but they did at a full capacity Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening – scoring three first-half goals against Chelsea for the first time in Premier League history.

They had their supporters onside from the first minute and it got better when Sanchez, playing his 100th game for Arsenal, took full advantage of Gary Cahill’s calamitous error to beat Thibaut Courtois with an exquisite lob. The Chilean has been involved in seven goals (five goals, two assists) in his last five competitive appearances for Arsenal, showing exactly why Wenger is so determined to secure both Sanchez and Ozil’s long-term futures at the club. 

Arsenal’s last comparative performance against a top-flight rival at Emirates Stadium was the 3-0 win over Manchester United in October 2015. The Gunners dominated that game and fielded eight of the same players against Antonio Conte’s men on Saturday and, coincidentally, two of the same goalscorers in Sanchez and Ozil.