Chelsea v Arsenal

Chelsea 3

Lampard 14′ Terry 45′ Mata 80′

Arsenal 5

Van Persie 36′, 85′, 90′ Santos 49′ Walcott 55′

FT 90 +5
HT 2-1

Arsenal's Robin van Persie takes on Chelsea's John Terry

Van Persie (right) has scored 28 goals in 27 Premier League games in 2011

By Phil McNulty BBC Sport chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Robin van Persie's hat-trick inspired Arsenal to an incredible victory against Chelsea as their recovery gathered momentum in a Stamford Bridge thriller.

The Gunners captain demonstrated his importance to the team by taking his tally to an outstanding 28 goals in 27 Premier League games as Chelsea slumped again after their shock defeat at QPR last week.

And it was a miserable afternoon for Chelsea and England captain John Terry at the end of a week in which has he faced allegations of racial abuse against QPR's Anton Ferdinand - claims he vehemently denies.

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Wenger praises 'great win'

Terry scored to give Chelsea the lead just before half-time but then slipped crucially late on to gift Van Persie a goal and a lead Arsenal never relinquished.

Frank Lampard had headed Chelsea in front after 14 minutes but, in a game strewn with defensive errors, Van Persie put Arsenal back in contention from Gervinho's pass.

Terry's goal looked to have put Chelsea in control on the stroke of half-time but Arsenal's response presented a compelling case for Arsene Wenger's insistence that reports of his side's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Andre Santos equalised and the outstanding Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead for the first time before Juan Mata's spectacular strike set up the finale to an enthralling encounter.

Terry lost his footing to allow Van Persie to race clear for Arsenal's fourth after 85 minutes before the Netherlands striker completed a second treble against Chelsea by hammering his third past Petr Cech deep into stoppage time.

Wenger's wild celebrations with his players and backroom staff told the Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal story - and made it eight wins in Arsenal's last nine games.

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS

Arsenal		Chelsea
61	Wins	44
44	Draws	44
5-1 (1930)	Biggest win	5-0 (1998)
13	League titles	4
10	FA Cups	6
2	League Cups	4

Arsenal have been piecing their season back together after a poor start and the manner of this win will provide added reserves of confidence and self-belief.

For Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas, this was his most sobering moment in the Premier League and he looked stunned on the sidelines at the regularity with which the home defence was exposed.

Fernando Torres was recalled in place of the suspended Didier Drogba and he was only denied a goal in the opening seconds by Laurent Koscielny's intervention - a moment that set the tone for a game filled with attacking quality and littered with errors.

Walcott, in front of watching England coach Fabio Capello, was Arsenal's catalyst and twice delivered crosses that should have produced goals in the opening stages.

He presented Gervinho with what looked a certain goal only for the striker to fire wide with the goal at his mercy, then found Van Persie unmarked at the far post, but the striker could not keep his effort down.

Arsenal paid the price for that wastefulness when Chelsea took the lead. Mata was afforded too much space by Santos and when the ponderous Per Mertesacker missed his cross Lampard timed his arrival perfectly to head past Wojciech Szczesny.

Analysis

Alan Hansen BBC Sport football expert

This was one of the best matches you will ever see.

We've had Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal and Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City - this was better.

It could have been 10-10. Earlier in season, Arsenal were staring into an abyss, but they've recently put together a great run.

Lampard was then the creator with a wonderful ball to release Daniel Sturridge, but he scuffed a half-hit shot across the face of goal.

For all their frailty at the back, Arsenal possessed genuine menace in attack and they carved through Chelsea with ease to restore parity nine minutes before half-time. Aaron Ramsey's pass was perfection and Gervinho took the unselfish option to set up Van Persie for a tap-in.

Terry, almost inevitably, made his mark on the game when he put Chelsea back in front seconds before the interval, sending a scrambled finish past Szczesny from Lampard's corner.

If Chelsea hoped this blow would have a detrimental effect on Arsenal, they were to be sorely mistaken as the Gunners surged forward after the restart.

Van Persie's shot was blocked by the legs of Cech and the impressive Ramsey was inches over before Santos suggested his greatest qualities may lie in attack when he beat the Chelsea keeper with some composure to put Arsenal level once more.

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Chelsea must be cold-blooded - Villas-Boas

Walcott's display deserved a goal and it duly arrived after 55 minutes. As he had done throughout, the winger ran straight at Chelsea's defence, riding two challenges and even falling before firing an emphatic shot past Cech.

Szczesny was then fortunate to escape with a yellow card for hauling down Ashley Cole outside the area - but the drama simply continued until the final whistle.

Mata put Chelsea back on terms with a swerving 25-yard shot, although a furious Wenger was convinced substitute Romelu Lukaku had fouled Santos in the build-up.

As Chelsea's fans sensed a late winner, they were stunned when Terry's slip proved crucial. He fell to the ground as he tried to retrieve a wayward pass from Florent Malouda, leaving Van Persie to show his nerve by rounding Cech to score.

And Van Persie fittingly had the final word with seconds to go by escaping Chelsea's defence once more to thump high past Cech in front of Arsenal's joyous supporters.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)

Chelsea

01 Cech
02 Ivanovic Booked
03 Cole
17 Bosingwa
26 Terry
07 Ramires (Lukaku - 72' )
08 Lampard
12 Mikel (Meireles - 76' Booked )
09 Torres
10 Mata
23 Sturridge (Malouda - 62' )

Substitutes

46 Blackman
04 David Luiz
34 Bertrand
06 Romeu
15 Malouda
16 Meireles
18 Lukaku

Arsenal

13 Szczesny Booked
04 Mertesacker
06 Koscielny
11 Santos
20 Djourou (Jenkinson - 75' )
08 Arteta
14 Walcott (Rosicky - 79' )
16 Ramsey
17 Song Booked
10 Van Persie Booked
27 Gervinho (Vermaelen - 88' )

Substitutes

21 Fabianski
05 Vermaelen
25 Jenkinson
07 Rosicky
23 Arshavin
26 Frimpong
09 Park Chu-Young

Ref: Marriner

Att: 41,801

Match Stats

Possession 54 46

Shots

12 13

On target

10 8

Corners

3 2

Fouls

7 18

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:58 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

90:00 +2:40

Foul by Fernando Torres on Clarindo Andre Santos, free kick awarded. Wojciech Szczesny takes the free kick.

90:00 +1:40 Booking

Booking The referee books Raul Meireles for dissent.

90:00 +1:07

Assist on the goal came from Mikel Arteta.

90:00 +1:07 Goal scored

Goal - Robin van Persie - Chelsea 3 - 5 Arsenal Robin van Persie grabs a goal from inside the penalty area to the top left corner of the goal. Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal.

90:00 +0:44

Juan Mata takes a shot. Clarindo Andre Santos gets a block in.

90:00 +0:19

Raul Meireles delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, Wojciech Szczesny makes a save.

90:00 +0:19 Booking

Booking Alex Song is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.

89:59

Foul by Alex Song on Florent Malouda, free kick awarded.

88:35

The assistant referee signals for offside against Fernando Torres. Wojciech Szczesny restarts play with the free kick.

88:20

Juan Mata takes a weak shot. Blocked by Laurent Koscielny.

87:11

Florent Malouda crosses the ball in from the free kick, blocked by Laurent Koscielny.

87:11 Substitution

Substitution Thomas Vermaelen replaces Yao Gervinho.

87:11

Aaron Ramsey concedes a free kick for a foul on Raul Meireles.

84:19 Goal scored

Goal - Robin van Persie - Chelsea 3 - 4 Arsenal Robin van Persie scores a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Chelsea 3-4 Arsenal.

82:50

Free kick awarded for a foul by Tomas Rosicky on Branislav Ivanovic. Direct free kick taken by Jose Bosingwa.

81:16

Alex Song challenges Frank Lampard unfairly and gives away a free kick. Raul Meireles takes the direct free kick.

79:58

Raul Meireles provided the assist for the goal.

79:58 Goal scored

Goal - Juan Mata - Chelsea 3 - 3 Arsenal Juan Mata grabs a goal from outside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Chelsea 3-3 Arsenal.

78:05

Direct free kick taken by Wojciech Szczesny.

78:05 Substitution

Substitution Tomas Rosicky replaces Theo Walcott.

78:05 Booking

Booking Branislav Ivanovic is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.

77:57 Booking

Booking The referee shows Robin van Persie a yellow card.

77:27

The assistant referee signals for offside against Fernando Torres.

75:59

The ball is crossed by Alex Song, clearance by Branislav Ivanovic.

75:17 Substitution

Substitution Raul Meireles on for Mikel.

74:44 Substitution

Substitution Carl Jenkinson joins the action as a substitute, replacing Johan Djourou.

73:30

Robin van Persie takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Frank Lampard manages to make a clearance.

73:15

Aaron Ramsey takes a shot. Blocked by John Terry.

71:41 Substitution

Substitution (Chelsea) makes a substitution, with Romelu Lukaku coming on for Ramires.