For Arsenal fans it was the end of a desperate 56-day wait for a Premier League victory; for Chelsea fans the perfect way to ruin a Christmas break.
Frank Lampard’s side would have gone second with a win at the Emirates but instead turned in a poor display in a 3-1 defeat that leaves them outside the top six.
Lampard called out his side for lacking energy and desire, while Mikel Arteta admitted that his Arsenal side “have let the fans down for many weeks.”
So where do they go from here?
‘It doesn’t get any better on Boxing Day’
Arsenal had not won in the Premier League since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s penalty beat Manchester United at the start of November.
The Gunners had only once had a longer run without a win in the Premier League, going eight games winless until Paul Merson secured victory at Maine Road in January 1993.
They had also only won two of the past 17 league meetings against Chelsea but shrugged off all that baggage to open up a 2-0 lead at half-time thanks to goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Granit Xhaka.
“It is a really special day,” said Arteta. “It doesn’t get any better – Boxing Day, playing a London derby at the Emirates and winning the way we’ve done it.
