Arsenal beat Chelsea 3-0 as Wenger celebrates 20 years

Arsenal turned on the style with a 3-0 victory in the Premier League on Saturday that exposed Chelsea’s defensive frailties and showcased the north London side’s attacking prowess.

Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil provided the goals in the first half that gave the Gunners their first home win over Chelsea in six years. Chelsea hadn’t even allowed a league goal to Arsenal since January 2013 before this capitulation.

Wenger’s 500th and 1000th games in charge of Arsenal both ended in losses to Chelsea, but his fortunes finally changed on the 20th anniversary of his appointment as Arsenal manager.

But the result will matter little to Wenger, the league’s longest-serving manager, unless Arsenal has the trophy in their possession again when the season ends in eight months.

The 66-year-old Wenger has survived in the Arsenal dugout despite last winning the league in 2004, and lifting only the FA Cup twice in the intervening years.

No Chelsea manager would enjoy the same job security without providing a regular flow of silverware.

Conte is the 12th Chelsea manager Wenger has faced since he was plucked from near-obscurity in Japan by Arsenal in September 1996.

Conte arrived at Chelsea in the off-season with a typically-Italian reputation for sending out well-drilled, solid defenses. His message is yet to get through in London.

Just one clean sheet in eight games has underscored the underlying weaknesses in a defense shorn of injured veteran centre back John Terry.

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