Chelsea snub Kai Havertz as Arsenal forward proves point after £65m transfer

Chelsea suffered a humbling 5-0 defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday night, with former player Kai Havertz scoring twice. It was a damning defeat for the Blues, who sit ninth in the Premier League.

Mauricio Pochettino would have wanted a positive response from his Chelsea side after suffering heartbreak against Manchester City in their FA Cup semi-final defeat on Saturday. The Blues went close to reaching their second cup final of the season but remain inconsistent in the league, with Arsenal exposing their flaws in a 5-0 loss at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal took an early lead through Leandro Trossard but it was not until the second half that the Gunners gained a clear advantage. Ben White doubled Arsenal’s lead before ex-Chelsea forward Havertz bagged a brace, with White adding his second of the game to round off the scoreline.

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It was a nightmare scenario for Chelsea, not least because Havertz felt he had a point to prove to his former club. After being sold to Arsenal for £65m last summer, the 24-year-old opted to celebrate against the Blues as the Germany international registered his 11th goal contribution over the last 10 league games.

Havertz scoring against Chelsea will have stung supporters, leading his name to be omitted from the club’s social media channels. Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Chelsea provided live score updates during the game but opted not to name Havertz as Arsenal’s goalscorer, unlike when White found the back of the net.

The performance served as a reminder that Chelsea were unable to unlock the best of Havertz during his time at Stamford Bridge. The forward scored the winning goal for Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League but is otherwise enjoying a better run of form in his debut season at Arsenal.

Chelsea were without top scorer Cole Palmer against the Gunners and fielded the youngest XI that Arsenal had ever faced in the Premier League. Despite their well-documented struggles this season, the Blues remain three points off a European place, behind Newcastle United in sixth.