Chelsea hit Arsenal for six, Liverpool and City win

Monday, 24 March 2014 01:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Chelsea ripped apart 10-man Premier League title rivals Arsenal in a 6-0 mauling on Saturday to ensure Arsene Wenger’s 1,000th game turned sour as Liverpool and Manchester City kept up the pressure with big wins. Yaya Toure scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, as City wrapped up a punishing 5-0 victory over 10-man Fulham and Luis Suarez’s prolific run continued with a treble as Liverpool twice came from behind to thrash Cardiff City 6-3. Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney scored twice, including a wonder strike from near the halfway line reminiscent of a goal by the watching David Beckham, in a 2-0 win at West Ham United. The goals were spread about for Chelsea with Samuel Eto’o, Andre Schuerrle, Eden Hazard, Oscar (2) and Mohamed Salah on target for the leaders in a match likely to be remembered for a bizarre refereeing blunder as much as the hosts’ cut and thrust. Official Andre Marriner flashed

a red card at Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs for a handball on the goalline when his team mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the culprit. The referee “expressed his disappointment to Arsenal when he was made aware of the issue”, the Professional Game Match Officials later said in a statement, while the FA said on Twitter that Arsenal can appeal against mistaken identity. The sending-off did little to affect the destination of the points, however, as Arsenal were already 2-0 down when defender Gibbs was dismissed and Hazard stepped up to convert the resulting penalty to make it 3-0 after 17 minutes. Chelsea stayed four points clear of second-placed Liverpool, the Londoners having played a game more, with Manchester City six adrift of the leaders in third but with three games in hand. Arsenal slipped to fourth seven points off the pace. Norwich City midfielder Alex Tettey added to Saturday’s tally of 32 Premier League goals with a scorching volley into the top corner from 25 metres as they improved their chances of avoiding the drop by beating relegation rivals Sunderland 2-0. Everton moved up to fifth with a 3-2 win over struggling Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion lost 2-0 at Hull City and Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse scored in stoppage time to inflict a painful 1-0 defeat on lowly Crystal Palace. Arsenal manager Wenger did not have to wait long to realise his 1,000th game would not be a fond occasion to look back on. It was the second time in six weeks that his side had visited a major title rival and left with their tails between their legs after a 5-1 thrashing by Liverpool last month.