‘Playing like kings’ - National media give same Arsenal verdict after Chelsea rout

Arsenal sent a clear message to their title rivals with their emphatic 5-0 victory over Chelsea on Tuesday night. The Gunners moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League table to keep the pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City ahead of their respective midweek clashes.

It remains to be seen whether Arsenal’s statement performance will have a lasting effect on the title race but it did brush aside the notion that the Gunners are set to falter, once again, during the final run-in. Leandro Trossard’s early goal set the tone before braces for Kai Havertz and Ben White led to a damning defeat for Chelsea.

The win showed that Arsenal are far from ready to give up on their dream of winning the Premier League title. Here’s what a selection of the national media made of the dominant performance from Mikel Arteta’s side.

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“All that Arsenal can do is win, turn up the heat, ask the question of Manchester City, the defending Premier League champions, who retain control of their destiny in terms of this season’s thrilling title race,” David Hytner reported for The Guardian. “But how Mikel Arteta’s team won here and its message could not have been clearer. If City are to slip, Arsenal will be there to capitalise.

“One of the images of the evening was provided by a young Chelsea fan, who held up a cardboard sign towards the end. “I don’t want your shirt. I want you to fight for ours,” it read. That stung. Then again, Chelsea’s players had stunk out the stadium.”

“If this was one of their toughest games left, Arsenal had a funny way of showing it,”