Chelsea tightened their grip on top spot in the Premier League and
put a massive dent in Arsenal's own title ambitions with a convincing
3-0 win at Emirates Stadium.
The Blues, then under Guus Hiddink, were the last team to beat
the Gunners on their own ground, ripping them apart 4-1 here in
May.
While this encounter was nowhere near as much a one-sided affair,
it still highlighted the gulf between the two sides' ability to
produce a big performance when required.
Chelsea - who restored their lead on Manchester United to five
points - grabbed a brace at the end of a first half in which Arsene
Wenger's men had enjoyed plenty of possession, but without really
troubling Petr Cech.
The Gunners were made to pay when Didier Drogba converted Ashley
Cole's low centre, and Thomas Vermaelen's own goal effectively killed
off the contest before the interval, with the Ivory Coast striker
drilling in a late free-kick to seal matters.
There is, of course, plenty more football to be played before they
crown the 2010 champions, but even with a match in hand, it is difficult
to see Wenger's young squad - without Robin van Persie until at
least April - clawing back what is now an 11-point deficit, and
indeed they could still face a battle to secure a top-four finish.
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