LONDON: Skipper Robin van Persie scored a hat-trick as Arsenal beat Chelsea 5-3 after twice coming from behind in a remarkable Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The victory at Stamford was Arsene Wenger’s 500th since he became Arsenal manager in 1996 and was Arsenal’s first away win in the league this season.
It also consigned Chelsea to a second successive defeat in a London derby after they lost at Queens Park Rangers last weekend and was the first time Chelsea had conceded five at home in a league match since Liverpool beat them 5-2 in December 1989.
Chelsea lead through Frank Lampard after 14 minutes before van Persie scored his first in the 36th minute before Chelsea skipper John Terry took advantage of some woeful Arsenal defending to put his side 2-1 up in the last minute of the first half.
Andre Santos struck Arsenal’s second equaliser early in the second half before Theo Walcott scored a brilliant solo goal to put Arsenal 3-2 ahead after 55 minutes.
Juan Mata equalised for Chelsea with a brilliant swerving shot to make it 3-3 after 80 minutes but then Dutch striker Van Persie took advantage of some terrible Chelsea defending to make it 4-3 five minutes later and wrapped up the points with an outstanding shot in the second minute of stoppage time.
In the other early game, Manchester United bounced back from their harrowing 6-1 defeat by Manchester City last weekend when they beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park to move to within two points of City at the top of the Premier League.
Everton, beaten in four of their last five league and cup matches, looked better than their recent form suggests and almost equalised 20 minutes later when Leighton Baines struck the underside of the bar with goalkeeper David De Gea beaten.
United, who were totally exposed by City at Old Trafford, played it far tighter in the second half and stood firm despite Tony Hibbert and Louis Saha having chances for the home team.
The win lifted them on to 23 points from their 10 matches, within two points of City.
The early match at Goodison was one of eight Premier League matches on Saturday with Chelsea and Arsenal also meeting each other in a lunchtime kickoff.matches on Saturday. (Agencies)
