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Chelsea keeps grip at top in 3-0 win over Arsenal

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-30 10:08

LONDON: Chelsea maintained its grip at the top of the Premier League on Sunday by beating Arsenal 3-0 after two goals from Didier Drogba and an own-goal.

Chelsea's Didier Drogba celebrates after scoring a goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in London November 29, 2009. [Agencies]

Drogba scored in the 41st minute after John Terry brought the ball down the left and passed to Ashley Cole. The former Arsenal left back crossed to Drogba, who steered the ball in off the woodwork with his right foot.

An own-goal by Thomas Vermaelen, who turned in a cross by Cole with his right knee, put the visitors 2-0 up four minutes later. Chelsea scored a third goal minutes before the final whistle when Drogba's free kick flew past goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

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"It was a very good performance," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "If you win 3-0 at Arsenal, you have to do a good job. I think in defensive positions we did a fantastic job. All the players worked for the team, worked to catch the ball in midfield. That is where we won the game."

Chelsea leads the standings with 36 points, five ahead of Manchester United. Arsenal is fourth, 11 points behind Chelsea but with a game in hand.

"It's a team that defends well, that relies on counterattacks," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said of Chelsea. "We spend our time developing plays and they wait for the fast break.

"Based on what I saw today on the pitch, that (Chelsea) team can drop points."

It was the first time Arsenal had lost at Emirates Stadium since its 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in May. That loss was Arsenal's heaviest defeat at Emirates, which opened in 2006. Sunday's loss was also the second straight game that Arsenal failed to score a goal in the league, following last week's 1-0 defeat to Sunderland.

"At the moment, our title race has got a big blow," Wenger said. "Before we speak about the title, we have to win games. You could see that the damage done at Sunderland was deeper, confidence-wise, than it should have been."

Wenger criticized the referee, saying he got a key decision wrong at the beginning of the second half, when Arsenal had a goal disallowed. The Frenchman, who said the final score was an "unfair reflection of the game," also called again for video replays to be instituted because of the incident.

Andrei Arshavin had the ball in the Chelsea net in the 48th minute. TV replays showed Eduardo kicking the ball out of Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech's hands, the ball fell for Cesc Fabregas to cross to Arshavin and the Russia international blasted the ball home.

"The 2-1 was a very important goal in these types of game. That was a big mistake by the referee," Wenger said. "Apart from that, he tried to be fair. The referee got the turning point of the game wrong."

Arsenal went into the game with a number of injuries, including the announcement Saturday that main striker Robin van Persie has been ruled out for up to five months. The Netherlands international will need surgery after injuring his ankle on international duty, and will likely only return for Arsenal in the final weeks of the season.

Lampard, who made a surprise comeback from a thigh injury, had been initially ruled out for around three weeks after he tore a muscle in his left thigh while training with the England national team on November 12.

The first half had been evenly balanced up until the first goal with both sides managing a couple of shots each. Chelsea also had a strong penalty claim in the 19th, when Nicolas Anelka appeared to be pulled back and then to the ground by right back Bacary Sagna.

Arsenal dominated the opening stages, playing slick passing moves, but Chelsea's defense and midfield were able to absorb any significant threat.

Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri's shot from close range was saved by Cech in the 24th minute, moments after a header by Drogba was easily caught by Almunia.

Arsenal had chances to get back into the game early in the second half. Eduardo da Silva latched on to a throughball early on, but two Chelsea defenders closed him down as he was advancing on goal.

Chelsea nearly scored in the 64th when an effort by Drogba from the edge of the area was deflected off William Gallas and then off Lampard's chest. Almunia just managed to tip it away.