Van Persie hat-trick helps Arsenal to suprise win over Chelsea

Arsenal proved their critics wrong as they managed to beat Chelsea 5-3 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. A Van Persie hat-trick and a goal each for Santos and Walcott proved that the Gunners can beat the big teams away from home as Arsenal picked up a surprise 3 points. In a very open game both sides were much better going forward than they were defensively and the Arsenal skipper once again showed why he is one of the best strikers in the world right now. It now meant that he had 28 goals in his last 27 Premier League games. For the match Carl Jenkinson and Thomas Vermaelen were back from injury and came off the bench whilst Chamakh missed out all together as Van Persie started and Park was on the bench.

Van Persie again helped Arsenal to 3 points in the league

The first chance came in the opening minute to Chelsea as Lampard played Cole down the left who then found Torres inside the box but Koscienly just managed to get ahead of him and put the ball out for a corner.

Arsenal's first chance was similar to Chelsea's as Walcott was set free down the right hand side. He then got the beating of Cole before playing the ball into Gervinho who looked set to score but slid his shot wide of the goal.

A few minutes later Van Persie also missed a great chance as Walcott played the ball into the skipper but he put his chance over the bar from close range. 

Then on fourteen minutes Chelsea took the lead. Mata cutting inside and crossing the ball into the box where Lampard was waiting and headed home from just outside the six yard box.

Chelsea then could and should have been 2-0 up. Lampard curling the ball over the Arsenal defence with another great through ball into the path of Sturridge who sliced his shot wide when he should have scored.

Nine minutes before half time Arsenal equalised through Van Persie. Ramsey finding Gervinho who  unselfishly slid the ball past the oncoming Cech in the Chelsea goal over to Van Persie who comfortably put the ball into the back of an empty net.

Shortly after the Arsenal equaliser the Blue's thought they had regained the lead as Ramires did well down the right hand side before finding Strurridge who put the ball into the back of the net but found himself offside and the goal was not given.

On the stroke of half time Chelsea did regain their lead. Lampard swinging in a corner towards Terry who got a foot to the ball and it crept beyond Szczesny and into the corner of the goal.

The score at half time was 2-1 to Chelsea.

Arsenal started the second half much livlier than their opponents as Gervinho beat Boswinga before creating a chance for Ramsey who from 6 yards out and a crowd of players around him put the ball over the bar.

Four minutes into the half Arsenal equalised once again. Song turning past his man and then finding Santos who had lots of space to run into before firing a shot past Cech for his first goal in the Premier League.

Szczesny then could have been sent off and Arsenal down to ten men as he raced out of his goal and then brought down Cole on the edge of the area but the referee only showed him a yellow card. Lampard took the free kick and tested Szczesny who dived across to his left to keep out the shot which looked to have been curling inside the far post.

The Gunners then found themselves in front for the first time in the match. Cole brought down Walcott but then managed to get up and wriggle his way past another challenge before getting past two Chelsea players and smashing a shot past Cech and into the back of the net for 2-3 to Arsenal.

With ten minutes left to play Chelsea found their way back into the match through Juan Mata. Santos giving the ball away to Meireles who then found Mata who drove a shot from distance which found its way into the goal and the score was level again.

Five minutes later Arsenal were ahead once more. Malouda attempting to play the ball back to Terry who slipped. Van Persie seized the opportunity and picked up the loose ball, he then rounded Cech in the Chelsea goal before once again slotting the ball into an empty net.

Into injury time and the Gunners sealed the win as Van Persie netted once more to pick up his hat-trick. Arsenal won the ball back on the edge of their own penalty area before breaking down the other end of the pitch. Arteta then picked up the ball in the middle of midfield and found Van Persie who smashed a swurving shot beyond the Chelsea keeper and the ball nestled in the back of the goal.

The final score finished Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal. 

The teams lineups: 

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Terry, Ivanovic, Cole, Mikel(76), Lampard, Ramires(73), Mata, Sturridge(62), Torres. 
Subs: Blackman, Bertrand, Luiz, Romeu, Meireles(76), Malouda(62), Lukaku(73).

Arsenal: Szczesny, Djourou(76), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos, Song, Arteta, Ramsey, Walcott(79), Gervinho(88), Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Jenkinson(76), Vermaelen(88), Frimpong, Rosicky(79), Arshavin, Park.

My man of the match: Robin Van Persie

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 41,801