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LONDON. — Arsenal eased fears of being dragged into a relegation battle with a stunning 3-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday night, as Manchester United’s English Premier League football title challenge stumbled after they conceded a late equaliser to draw at Leicester. 

Everton moved into second place, two points behind leaders Liverpool with a 1-0 win at Sheffield United, while Manchester City climbed to fifth place after beating Newcastle 2-0. 

Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to win the FA Cup the last time they faced Chelsea in August, but less than five months on the Spaniard was under intense pressure after a run of one win in 10 league games. 

Arteta had bemoaned his side’s fortune in recent weeks, but the Gunners’ luck turned on a night when he gave youngsters Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe the chance to shine in the absence of more experienced figures such as David Luiz, Willian and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

For Arsenal fans it was the end of a desperate 56-day wait for a Premier League victory; for Chelsea fans the perfect way to ruin a Christmas break. 

Frank Lampard’s side would have gone second with a win at the Emirates but instead turned in a poor display in a 3-1 defeat that leaves them outside the top six.

Lampard called out his side for lacking energy and desire, while Arteta admitted that his Arsenal side “have let the fans down for many weeks.” 

“It’s a really big win for us,” said Arteta. “Hopefully it is going to be a turning point and elevate the level of confidence in the team.” 

“It is a really special day,” said Arteta. “It doesn’t get any better — Boxing Day, playing a London derby at the Emirates and winning the way we’ve done it. 

“We were really disappointed and frustrated with the results, not so much with the performances, but the results. 

“The players were suffering, our fans were suffering and hopefully this is a turning point and will elevate the confidence of the team because I know that they can play at this level.” 

Arsenal had to weather somewhat of a late Chelsea storm — and had Jorginho converted his penalty life could have been interesting for the hosts — but Arteta was full of praise for his team’s spirit.

“From the first whistle you could see the team had the energy and willingness to come out and win the game,” he told BBC Sport. 

“The spirit before the game was really positive, they really wanted it. I am pleased for the players and for the supporters — we have let them down for many weeks so it was a good day to give them something to cheer about.”

Kieran Tierney won a soft penalty for a push by Reece James and Alexandre Lacazette slotted home the spot-kick to open the scoring on 34 minutes. 

Granit Xhaka then answered his critics after being stupidly sent off in a 1-0 defeat by Burnley earlier this month with a brilliant free-kick to double Arsenal’s lead just before half-time. 

A third consecutive away loss for Chelsea further damages their chances of competing for the title and there was no way back for Lampard’s men once Bukayo Saka chipped in off the inside of the post 11 minutes after the break. 

An angry Lampard ripped into his Chelsea players, calling them “lazy” after slipping to defeat at Arsenal, whose season starts here according to Arteta. 

“It’s not good enough,” said Lampard. “The players have got to take responsibility.”

Tammy Abraham did pull a goal back five minutes from time and Chelsea could have set up a grandstand finish in stoppage time, but Jorginho’s penalty was saved by Bernd Leno. 

Victory lifts Arsenal up to 14th, six points clear of the relegation zone, while Chelsea drop down to sixth on goal difference.

Moving six points clear of the bottom three will buy Arteta a little breathing space following talk he was in danger of the sack after just a year in charge. 

Arsenal have only been relegated from the top flight once in their history, in 1912-13. 

With matches against Brighton and West Brom coming next in their Christmas schedule, Arsenal have a chance to climb to a healthy league position heading into 2021.

Having won the FA Cup final against Chelsea in August, Arteta has now delivered two major blows to Blues boss Frank Lampard this year. 

Lacklustre in attack, short of drive in midfield and bereft of a cutting edge up front, Chelsea’s £200-million pre-season overhaul is yet to pay off. 

Lampard has only 48 hours to lift Chelsea’s flagging spirits before they are back in action against Aston Villa today. 

Arteta suffered a pre-match blow when Gabriel was ruled out for three matches as he self-isolates under coronavirus protocols. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang started on the bench as he battles with a calf injury and a poor run of form, yet Arsenal didn’t miss their captain or Brazilian defender Gabriel. 

Although Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount curled a free-kick against the outside of the post, there was no doubt who was on top. 

Arsenal made the breakthrough in the 35th minute when Kieran Tierney got across Reece James into the Chelsea area and tumbled under the slightest contact from the panicked defender.

Michael Oliver’s debatable decision to award a penalty survived a VAR review and Lacazette sent Edouard Mendy the wrong way from the spot for his sixth goal of the season. 

It was no more than Arsenal deserved for a vibrant first half and Arteta was celebrating again in the 44th minute. 

Xhaka has been much-maligned at Arsenal, with the Swiss midfielder’s most recent faux pas coming when he was sent off in a defeat against Burnley. 

N’Golo Kante fouled Saka and Xhaka did his bit to get back in favour when he whipped a brilliant 20-yard free-kick over the Chelsea wall and into the top corner.

Lampard sent on Jorginho and Callum Hudson-Odoi for Timo Werner, whose goal drought now stretches to 10 games, and Mateo Kovacic. 

But the switches failed to spark lethargic Chelsea into life and Arsenal struck again in the 56th minute. 

Hector Bellerin and Emile Smith Rowe combined to send Saka into the area and his cross-shot looped over Mendy into the far corner. 

Abraham converted Hudson Odoi’s cross from close range in the 85th minute to spark a late Arsenal wobble. 

Pablo Mari’s foul on Mount gave Chelsea a stoppage-time penalty, but Jorginho missed for the third time this season as Bernd Leno kept out the Italian’s weak effort. 

Manchester United missed out on equalling a Premier League record of 11 straight away wins as for once this season they paid for not finishing strongly in a dramatic 2-2 draw. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men had come from behind in each of their previous away league games this season, but twice went in front at the King Power Stadium through Marcus Rashford midway through the first half and Bruno Fernandes 11 minutes from time. 

“One point is not the worst result but we are disappointed we didn’t get away with three,” said Solskjaer. 

Harvey Barnes’ blistering strike levelled for Leicester before half-time and United were undone by Jamie Vardy’s movement in the box as the veteran striker latched onto Ayoze Perez’s cross and saw his shot deflect in off the unfortunate Axel Tuanzebe. 

At Bramall Lane, Gylfi Sigurdsson killed off the bottom of the table Blades on 80 minutes with a clinical finish. 

That sealed Everton’s fourth successive league win and set up a significant clash with Manchester City today. 

“This team has a lot of spirit. I’m really pleased to manage these players,” Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said. 

City extended their unbeaten league run to six matches with a comfortable success at the Etihad Stadium. 

Ilkay Gundogan put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead in the 14th minute with a close-range finish from Raheem Sterling’s pass. 

City doubled their lead in the 55th minute after Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron gave the ball away just outside his own area. 

Despite a desperate attempt to clear by Federico Fernandez, the ball rolled straight to Ferran Torres and the Spanish winger fired home. 

“That is the tempo we need to play,” Guardiola said. 

“There are weird results for everyone this season. You have to be calm in the good and the bad moments.”

Aston Villa are another unlikely challenger for the top four as they eased past Crystal Palace 3-0 despite playing the full second half a man down after Tyrone Mings’ red card. 

Bertrand Traore gave Villa the perfect start but Mings made his teammates work hard for the win when he was sent off for two clashes with Wilfried Zaha. 

Ignoring that setback, Kortney Hause and Anwar El Ghazi wrapped up the points for Villa. 

Fulham edged to within a point of safety with a 0-0 draw at home with Southampton. — AFP.