Eden Hazard scores incredible solo goal as Chelsea end Arsenal title bid

Eden Hazard scored one of the goals of the season as Chelsea moved 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 victory that surely ends Arsenal's title hopes.

The Belgian netted a sensational solo effort that saw him take his tally to 10 for the campaign as he continued his rejuvenation after the travails of last term.

It put the Blues firmly in the driving seat after Marcos Alonso had given them a halftime lead. Substitute Cesc Fabregas then rubbed salt in the Gunners' wounds with a lobbed third after a howler from Petr Cech that summed up the visitors' afternoon.

Olivier Giroud headed a late consolation but it could not detract from a ninth home league win on the spin for Antonio Conte's men who made another major stride towards what would be a fifth Premier League crown.

Chelsea have been imperious for much of the season but their 3-0 drubbing at Arsenal on September 24 will go down as a key moment. It led Antonio Conte to switch to a 3-4-3 system that completely transformed the Blues and saw them pull well clear of their rivals. This result not only saw them enact revenge for that loss, but also put paid to the Gunners' hopes of a late charge as they slumped 12 points behind the Blues with 14 matches to play.

Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City can reduce the gap to the leaders later on Saturday/Sunday afternoon, but another Chelsea triumph in a match they would have hoped to see Conte's side drop points, will have done little to enhance the trio's belief they can truly make a real race of it.

Title race over for Arsenal - and everyone else? A week where Chelsea faced Liverpool away followed by Arsenal at home was earmarked as a crucial period in the title run-in. The chasing pack hoped it would see the Blues' lead narrow but this result means there's no doubt it's very much Antonio Conte's to lose - if it wasn't already. The Italian would have taken four points from a possible six on offer from these two matches and with the Gunners and Liverpool vulnerable to the odd slip (respective shock home defeats to Watford and Swansea) it seems only Tottenham represent any hope of denying Chelsea.

Eden Hazard (Chelsea). Further proof that he is back to his very best. When the Chelsea playmaker is on the ball it seems anything is possible and so it proved with the crucial second goal that was all about his brilliance.

CHELSEA: Courtois 7; Azpilicueta 7, David Luiz 7, Cahill 7, Moses 7, Kante 8, Matic 7, Alonso 7; Pedro 7, Diego Costa 7, Hazard 9. Subs: Willian 6, Fabregas 6, Zouma n/a.

ARSENAL: Cech 5, Bellerin 5, Monreal 6, Koscielny 6, Mustafi 5, Coquelin 5, Oxlade Chamberlain 5, Walcott 5, Ozil 5, Iwobi 5, Alexis 5. Subs: Gabriel 6, Welbeck 6, Giroud 6.

2' - ARSENAL CHANCE! Courtois' sloppy pass to Luiz leaves the Blues in all sorts of trouble. They manage to force Sanchez wide. The ball is fed to Iwobi who flashes just wide from 20 yards out.

13' - GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0ARSENAL. Costa's thumping header smacks against the bar but Alonso responds to out-jump Bellerin and nod into the empty net.

38' - ARSENAL CHANCE! Courtois reacts superbly to push away Gabriel's header after a teasing cross from Oxlade-Chamberlain caught Chelsea out.

53' - GOAL! CHELSEA 2-0ARSENAL. It's two and deep trouble for Arsenal. It's all about Hazard as he holds off challenge after challenge from the halfway line and weaves into the box before firing beyond Cech. Goal of the season? Maybe, it was simply sublime.

79' - ARSENAL CHANCE! Courtois springs to his right and gets a big palm on Welbeck's header. From the resulting corner Mustafi nods a good opportunity wide at the near post.

85' - GOAL! CHELSEA 3-0ARSENAL. It's three and it's former Arsenal captain, Fabregras. Cech miscues a throw back to him and Cesc coolly lobs it into the open net. A real howler from the ex-Blues keeper that sums up Arsenal's day.

90+3' - GOAL! CHELSEA 3-1 ARSENAL. Arsenal have a consolation as Giroud nods in Monreal's cross.

Chelsea have scored first in 18 Premier League games so far this season; more than any other side.

Arsenal have lost four of their last nine PL games, the same total they'd lost in their previous 35 in the competition.

Arsenal have conceded in each of their last 12 PL visits to Stamford Bridge; their longest current run at an away venue.

Chelsea have won nine successive Premier League home games – their best run in the competition since a sequence of 10 wins that ended in January 2015.