On this day, in 2014, history was made. Not only did I receive an offer from a University of my choice, but I also had the privilege to watch my club dismantle their arch-nemesis. Chelsea had beaten Arsenal 6-0.
Not many teams can hold such an accolade against the North London giants. The only other London team to hold a Premier League trophy came to our backyard and failed to score, concerning six goals in the process.
Goodness me, it felt so surreal! We often hear about the match facts from a journalist's perspective, but take it from a fan, the stats do not reflect just how great the victory felt.
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The feeling of beating a rival is unmatched. Dishing out losses for Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool during that season felt like lifting a trophy each time.
We were a force to be reckoned with, led by the mastermind that is Jose Mourinho. We didn't win the league that season, but it felt just as good. A sunny day at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea fans soaking in the atmosphere that we are currently suspended from having, we didn't have a worry in the world.
We were almost certain that we wouldn't win the league and were relatively comfortable in securing the top-four. So when we handed Arsenal six goals, it was an 'icing on the cake' moment.
There are a few takeaways to reminisce on from that particular match. Let's take a trip down memory lane.
VAR came too late
Refereeing decisions will always remain a hot topic in every season, it's just a fact now. Whether it's the wrong decision or the right one, football fans can never unanimously accept a decision that does not go their way. A couple of mistakes were made in this match, but one stood out in particular— Kieran Gibbs' red card. The comedic reasoning behind it is proof that referees needed VAR years before its introduction.
Being 2-0 down in the first 10 minutes of the game, the Gooners could see a potential repeat of their loss against Liverpool that they had suffered only one month prior. Goals from Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, and Martin Skrtel in the first 20 minutes lead to a 5-1 thrashing. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was determined to prevent history from repeating itself, and he transformed into a goalkeeper on the 15-minute mark.
He'd seen Eden Hazard ready to launch the ball into an empty net, so he made a world-class save whilst Wojciech Szczesny scrambled on the floor to find his feet. Rightfully so, a red card was issued, but to the wrong player. Gibbs was sent off in place of Chamberlain in what was described as 'mistaken identity.' As far as comedy goes, this wasn't even the funniest aspect of the match.
Mohamed Salah is still winning against Arsenal
Liverpool seems to enjoy an Arsenal upset just as much as Chelsea does. Before joining the reds, Mo Salah had already prematurely auditioned for them. Substituted into the game at 67 minutes, Salah had 23 minutes to impress the boss, but all he needed was four.
The Egyptian timed his run and paced into the final third chasing Nemanja Matic's ball. It was him vs Szczesny at the last hurdle. Cool and collected, Salah slotted the ball past Arsenal's number 1, giving Chelsea a record-breaking six goals against Arsenal.
At that time, Salah was unable to break into Chelsea's starting 11 and eventually made a move to Roma, then to Liverpool. I don't know what's funnier, the fact that he helped the Blues seal the deal against Arsenal or the fact that he had celebrated Steven Gerrard's slip up with Demba Ba at Anfield one month later.
"He's a specialist in failure"
If you ask me, the tension between Wenger and Mourinho was destined to explode someday. The back and forth between the two over their Premier League years was entertaining. Arsene Wenger was more subtle and nonchalant, uninterested in fuelling the fire, whilst Mourinho just kept poking the bear.
Retaliating to Wenger's comment about Premier League managers not admitting that they are in a title race in 2014, Mourinho said,
"If he is right and I am afraid of failure, it is because I didn't fail many times. Eight years without silverware that's a failure. He's a specialist in failure. If I do that in Chelsea, eight years, I leave and don't come back."
The term "specialist in failure" was set to go down in history as one of the most disrespectful comments uttered from one manager to another.
I couldn't believe it, reading those comments. Considering that Mourinho's statement was made in February, the footballing world anticipated their meet-up in March.
It must have been extremely upsetting for Wenger on this day. Not only because of the comment but also because it was his 1000th match as a manager. It will always be remembered as the day Mourinho's men put six past his own.
The tension finally got to the Frenchman later that year when they met again in October, and he lost it on the touchline. The two managers got into a brawl initiated by Wenger, and you could see the spark in Mourinho's eyes. He'd finally shown the world that he had got to Wenger, and it became a day to remember for all Premier League fans.
