How Mikel Arteta ditched the safety-first approach to blow Chelsea away: The major shift in playing style, the key man who is making up for lost time... and the signs Arsenal could race to another Premier League title

If Chelsea turn out to be real title challengers, Arsenal have already proved they have the capacity to run away with the league. No hyperbole.

On another day, the scoreline could have been wider for the Gunners.

A solid backline against a prolific attack was how this contest had been billed, Chelsea’s CPR trio of Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers out there to take the game to Arsenal’s defence.

Yet the dominant way in which Arsenal picked Chelsea apart reflected a team who see a door wide open to capitalise on the state of flux currently troubling the rest of the Big Six.

The failure to land a marquee forward before the transfer window closed did not blunt Mikel Arteta’s side. They created plenty, and were hellbent on attacking in the final third.

Despite lifting the title last season, Arsenal were often accused of being too defensive, afraid of putting their foot on the throat when ahead because of the risks it entailed.