LONDON: Chelsea enjoyed some much-needed home comfort with goals from Juan Mata and Frank Lampard, securing a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
Arsenal staged a second-half revival with Theo Walcott halving the deficit at a snowy Stamford Bridge but Chelsea hung on for only their second win in six home league games since Rafael Benitez was hired as interim manager.
Victory lifted third-placed Chelsea to 45 points from 23 games, 10 behind leaders Manchester United whose game at Tottenham Hotspur was scheduled to go ahead later in north London despite heavy snow putting the fixture in doubt.
Mata scored after six minutes after Cesar Azpilicueta’s lofted ball put him through on goal, although Arsenal were seething at the referee’s failure to award a free kick their way in the initial stages of the move.
Lampard made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after 16 minutes after Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny escaped a red card for bringing down Ramires in the area.
The midfielder’s calm finish was his 195th goal for the club and he is now just seven behind Chelsea’s all-time record goalscorer Bobby Tambling.
Walcott’s superb finish just before the hour gave Arsenal hope and Chelsea enjoyed a nervy final half hour as the Gunners pressed for an equaliser but the hosts held on.
Arsenal remain in sixth place with 34 points.
Chelsea manager Benitez was understandbly proud of the way his boys performed, saying, “Today Torres was a key player for us. Every run he was always there and ready and pushing the defenders. And he makes space for Mata, a good winger. He and Demba Ba did well.
“We have been doing well, creating chances in all our games.
“In the games we didn’t win we deserved to win. It was just a matter of time until we had a performance like this.”
Arsene Wenger regretted some missed opportunies in the first half.
“The first half we didn’t play at our usual pace and couldn’t be sure whether to attack or defend. We gave them too much room in which to play,” the Frenchman said.
“I’m not convinced at all that it was a penalty on the second goal. From what I’ve heard it wasn’t at all. From the bench I did not see it well, but I’ve been told from people who have seen it on television that it was not a penalty.
“We made some changes at half-time and came out with a different attitude with much more initiative. We had Chelsea on the back foot but could not get it back to 2-2.
” We didn’t make enough of our corners and free-kicks. Jack Wilshere can play that final ball and make a real difference – he has it all in his locker.”
Mata admitted that Chelsea were under pressure in the second half. “It was very hard, the second 45 minutes. We were defending until the last minute. We knew that Arsenal never give up and even winning 2-0 might not have been enough. But in the end it was.” (Reuters)