Eden Hazard tore Arsenal open for the penalty
The match was heated with four players lucky not to see red and the managers going at it on the touchline, but once more it was Jose Mourinho who came away the happier.
A strong showing from Chelsea saw them run out 2-0 victors when they welcomed Arsenal to Stamford Bridge.
It was a feisty atmosphere at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, with tackles aplenty and bookings to boot. Although accidental it was Arsenal that drew blood in this regard. The 10-minute mark saw Alexis Sanchez collide with Thibaut Courtois, momentarily knocking the Belgian goalkeeper out. The youngster got up and continued to play before coming off in the 24th minute.
The action was hotly contested on the pitch but the biggest bust-up actually occurred on the sidelines between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho - who else - in the 20th minute. A Gary Cahill challenge on Sanchez caused both managers to enter a heated debate that eventually finished with Wenger shoving Mourinho.
Arguably, John Terry should have but the Blues in front. His 25th-minute header at the far post sailed over the bar instead of troubling Wojciech Szczesny.
A moment of magic from Eden Hazard in the 27th-minute led to the opener. The midfielder, who was brilliant today, picked up the ball in the Arsenal half and darted past Santi Cazorla before sided-stepping Calum Chambers to enter the 18-yard box. However, he wasn't allowed to cap off his mazy run with a finish, instead, he was brought down by Laurent Koscielny inside the area, giving referee Martin Atkinson no choice but to point to the spot. Hazard got back up and stroked the resulting penalty into the bottom right-hand corner, sending Szczesny the wrong way.
Szczesny made a phenomenal reflex save in the 58th minute. A driven Hazard cross deflected off Mathieu Flamini but the goalkeeper managed to get glove to ball to tip the ball onto the post.
Arsenal were appealing for a penalty in the 63rd minute after former icon Cesc Fabregas handled Jack Wilshere's shot. The Spaniard was sliding to prevent the English midfielder from shooting and was by no intending to use his hand. It was close range and completely accidental, awarding a penalty would have been very harsh by Atkinson and he rightly gave the corner.
Diego Costa, who was quiet for the majority of the game, did brilliantly in the 76th minute. After controlling the ball on his chest inside the Arsenal half he motored towards the box. Upon arrival, he looked up and squared it to Hazard but the Belgian could not hit the target from eight yards.
The sign of a great striker is the ability to score goals whilst remaining quite, something that Costa did in the 78th minute. Fabregas, showing Wenger what he is missing, played a defence splitting pass over the the top to Costa. The forward then majestically lofted the ball over the on-rushing Szczesny to double the Blues lead and wrap the game up. While the ball and finish were nice, the defending was atrocious. Per Mertesacker and Koscielny allowed Costa to get in between them, and from there there was only one outcome.
In the dying embers of the match Danny Welbeck should have been giving his marching orders for a two-footed lunge on Fabregas. Both feet were off the ground and Welbeck certainly was not in control of the situation but Atkinson decided that the 91st-minute tackle was worthy of no more than a yellow.
There was only one team in it from the word go. Chelsea bossed the midfield battle while their defenders rendered the attacking triumvirate of Mesut Ozil, Sanchez and Welbeck completely useless.
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