It felt like vindication - if you still needed it - of Mikel Arteta and the remarkable job he is doing at Arsenal.
The changing of the guard from ageing, egotistical striker to vibrant, young and exciting team was never so evident than at Stamford Bridge. This was a big, hugely-impressive statement victory for Arsenal as they reclaimed top spot from Manchester City - and one which might just keep them there for Christmas.
At some point, we might actually need to start taking Arsenal seriously as title contenders because they are still top, still ahead of City and still determined to last the pace. It might not be their biggest win of the season so far, but it was definitely Arsenal’s most impressive result of this campaign to date.
And the reality is that the scoreline was nowhere near indicative of how dominant Arsenal were. They were outstanding. Thomas Partey ran the match, the Gunners bossed the game from start to finish, they were rock solid in defence - Gabriel and William Saliba outstanding again - and had the chances to win more comfortably.
Chelsea were poor by comparison and yet Stamford Bridge is still a tough test even if Arsenal have now won here three years in a row. Incredibly, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang only had eight touches in the game before he was substituted in the 64th minute, just moments after Gabriel had scored what proved to be the winner.
It is easy to forget that Arteta took stick for shipping out Aubameyang last January, giving him a free transfer to Barcelona, where he stayed for six months before joining Chelsea. When Aubameyang left, many Arsenal fans were very dubious and not entirely convinced by Arteta.
Will Arsenal win the Premier League title this season? Have your say in the comments!
Fast forward 10 months and the Arsenal fans were jeering Aubameyang, singing Arteta’s name and believing they can win the title. Aubameyang, 33, looks a spent force, Chelsea are dangerously drifting under Graham Potter and were horribly outplayed by Arsenal.
The joy of Arsenal is the football they play because their pass-and-move style, their fluid breaks and lightning attacks were the story of the match. They also have this incredibly strong spine, with Gabriel Jesus also giving them such a threat and fresh impetus in attack, flanked by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Everyone just assumes that City will win the title and we are almost waiting for the moment that Arsenal slip. This was another potential banana skin - and yet they answered every question again.
It was Arsenal who created the better chances in the first half as Martinelli curled in a lovely cross for Jesus, who should have scored rather than glance wide at the back post. Elsewhere, Saka was having a ding-dong battle with Marc Cucurella while Arteta and Chelsea boss Potter were living it all on the touchline in a fierce London derby.
Arsenal should have been ahead even before they scored. Thiago Silva was caught in possession, Arsenal broke forward and Edouard Mendy saved well from Jesus but the ball went out for a corner. Saka put over the corner, Silva missed a clearance at the near post and Gabriel scrambled it home to give Arsenal the lead in front of the away end.
Aubameyang was substituted, Chelsea rang the changes but Potter could not change the direction of the game; rarely has an away team looked quite so in control. Arsenal were so good, so impressive and, more worryingly for Chelsea, they were so poor again and lack direction. For Arsenal under Arteta, it only looks upwards.
