Chelsea returned to the Premier League winners' list on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho's Blues got the better of London rivals Arsenal 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to arrest a domestic run of two defeats, backing up their midweek 4-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League.
It was a controversial clash in West London which saw Arsene Wenger's Gunners lose Gabriel Paulista to a red card for reacting to Diego Costa's taunts before Santi Cazorla was also given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Kurt Zouma scored his first goal for Chelsea when he headed home in the 53rd minute before Eden Hazard fired home in the first minute of injury-time for his first of the campaign.
The win saw the reigning champions move up to 15th place as Arsenal dropped to fifth.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Chelsea: 2 (Kurt Zouma 53', Eden Hazard 90+1')
Arsenal: 0 (red cards: Gabriel Paulista 45+1', Santi Cazorla 79')
Stamford Bridge, London - 41,584
TALKING POINTS
- Is Diego Costa's in-your-face style anti-social or simply part of the game? Should he have been sent off for engaging with Koscielny?
- How will Wenger turn this around for Arsenal? Can they fight back quickly to restore their status as a title contender?
WHAT'S NEXT?
Chelsea meet Walsall in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday before heading to bottom-placed Newcastle United on the weekend as Arsenal prepare for the North London league cup derby with Tottenham ahead of their trip to in-form Leicester City.
TWITTER INSIGHT
Together we are stronger! @ChelseaFC Juntos somos más fuertes! #CFC#KTBFFHpic.twitter.com/0VGuxDOpLi
— César Azpilicueta (@CesarAzpi) September 19, 2015Fantastic victory today!! Amazing performance and great atmosphere at the Bridge!! Onto the next one. #cfc
— Asmir Begovic (@asmir1) September 19, 2015Disappointed with the result ... Overwhelmed with the reception ! Thank you @Arsenal fans and @ChelseaFC fans
— Petr Cech (@PetrCech) September 19, 2015
QUOTES CORNER
Arsenal boss Wenger on Diego Costa:
"He can do what he wants, he stays on and everybody else who responds to him has to be sent off. I think it is unacceptable his behaviour."
Chelsea's Mourinho regarding the Costa incidents:
"Of course not (a red card). The referee was there, it was the same referee that made every decision of the game, was the same referee that didn't give two penalties, clear, for us. It's also the rules of the game."
STATS SPECIALS
*Thanks to Opta
2 - Cesc Fabregas has assisted a goal in two of his three PL games against former side Arsenal (both at Stamford Bridge). Haunt.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 19, 201579 - No team in Premier League history has seen more players sent off than Arsenal (79, level with Everton). Update.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 19, 2015482 - Arsenal have now failed to score in their last 482 minutes of Premier League football against Chelsea. Buffer.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 19, 2015
TEAM LEADERS
CHELSEA
Goals - Eight players on 1
Assists - Pedro Rodriguez 2
Clean sheets - Asmir Begovic 2
Yellow cards - Branislav Ivanovic, Diego Costa 2
Red cards - Thibaut Courtois, John Terry 1
ARSENAL
Goals - Olivier Giroud 2
Assists - Mesut Ozil 2
Clean sheets - Petr Cech 2
Yellow cards - Santi Cazorla 3
Red cards - Santi Cazorla, Gabriel Paulista 1
