Arsène Wenger works out Chelsea’s Hazard dependency to earn Wembley date | Barney Ronay


Arsenal’s manager changed tactics to neutralise the Belgian and, deprived of one attacking option, Chelsea had none

At half-time in the latest fun, slightly ragged instalment of the Arsenal-Chelsea stasis the sense of two teams battling for the right to lose to Manchester City at Wembley was tangible. For periods in the first half at the Emirates it was hard to remember a time before Arsenal and Chelsea had been playing each other, apparently endlessly, without any sign of resolution.

In the end something did happen. Arsenal got hold of Eden Hazard, and in the process managed to disarm almost completely this lop-sided Chelsea team.

Related: Granit Xhaka seals Arsenal place at Wembley at Chelsea’s expense

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