In an era-defining London Derby, Arsenal traveled to Stamford Bridge and produced one of the most chaotic and thrilling comeback victories in Premier League history. At the heart of it all was Robin van Persie, whose clinical finishing exposed a fragile Chelsea high line and silenced the home crowd in a staggering eight-goal fest.
⚽ The Goal Timeline: A Seesaw Battle
| Time | Event | Scorer | Description |
| 14' | Goal | Frank Lampard | A powerful header from a Juan Mata cross to open the scoring. |
| 36' | Goal | Robin van Persie | Slotted into an empty net after Gervinho’s unselfish square ball. |
| 45' | Goal | John Terry | Restored the lead just before the break, bundling in from a corner. |
| 49' | Goal | André Santos | The left-back stormed forward to finish a crisp Arsenal counter. |
| 55' | Goal | Theo Walcott | A solo run through a stumbling Chelsea defense to give Arsenal the lead. |
| 80' | Goal | Juan Mata | A stunning long-range strike that looked to have rescued a point for Chelsea. |
| 85' | Goal | Robin van Persie | Capitalized on a John Terry slip to round Cech and put Arsenal back ahead. |
| 90+2' | Goal | Robin van Persie | Completed his hat-trick with a thunderbolt into the roof of the net. |
📋 Vital Match Stats & Facts
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Captain Fantastic: This hat-trick was part of Van Persie’s historic 2011 calendar year, where he scored 35 goals in 36 Premier League games.
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Defensive Nightmare: This was the first time Chelsea had conceded five goals at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League era.
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The "John Terry Slip": One of the most iconic images of the game was Chelsea captain John Terry slipping on the turf, allowing Van Persie to walk the ball into the net for his second goal.
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Tactical Chaos: André Villas-Boas’s insistence on a "high defensive line" was criticized heavily after the game, as Walcott and Gervinho exploited the space behind Chelsea's slow backline repeatedly.
🛡️ Starting Lineups
Chelsea (4-3-3):
Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires (Meireles 72'), Mikel (Raul Meireles 72'), Lampard; Sturridge (Lukaku 62'), Torres, Mata.
Arsenal (4-3-3):
Szczesny; Koscielny, Mertesacker, Djourou (Jenkinson 75'), Santos; Ramsey, Song, Arteta; Walcott (Rosicky 79'), Van Persie, Gervinho (Vermaelen 88').
Official Match Resources
Premier League: Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal Match Overview & Player Stats
Sky Sports: Match Report and Historic Review
BBC Sport: Classic Match Report - Van Persie Hat-trick
Arsenal.com: The Van Persie Masterclass Archive
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