Blues bounce back in style

Arsenal 1 - 4 Chelsea

Chelsea did their talking on the pitch on Sunday with a 4-1 win at Emirates Stadium securing at least third place in the table and ending Arsenal's 21-match Premier League run.

• Malouda delighted with response

UEFA have yet to rule on the unacceptable over-reaction from several of the Chelsea players - most notably a foul-mouthed tirade by striker Didier Drogba - following their controversial midweek exit in the Champions League to a late Barcelona away goal.

However, there were no such flashpoints in this game as all of Guus Hiddink's men kept their composure to weather early pressure from the home side before killing the game off with two clinical strikes.

Chelsea - who beat Arsenal to reach the FA Cup final at the end of the month - are now guaranteed automatic entry to Europe's elite club competition once again next season, while Arsene Wenger must again guide his young team through qualification as another campaign finishes empty-handed.

The Gunners started with just leading scorer Robin van Persie in attack. Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor - who claimed both the team and himself had gone ''backwards'' this season following the Champions League defeat here to holders Manchester United - was left on the bench, and was booed by some fans when he came on.

Lukasz Fabianski was in goal, with regular number one Manuel Almunia - another player to call for experience to be added this summer - missing from the starting XI, understood to be because of an ankle problem rather than as any statement from Wenger.

Theo Walcott, who has just signed a new long-term contract, was full of running and fired over following a neat one-two with van Persie as Arsenal started brightly.

The England forward was put in again down the right side of the penalty area by Samir Nasri, but Petr Cech stood up well at his near post.

Abou Diaby should have scored when he shot wide after being picked out in the centre by Walcott, who then drilled an angled shot just wide from 18 yards following a surging run down the left by Diaby.

Chelsea finally managed an attack when former Arsenal defender Ashley Cole skipped away down the left and pulled the ball back into the path of Florent Malouda, with Kieran Gibbs - whose unfortunate slip against United proved so costly - making a timely block.

Another chance went begging for the home side when a free-kick was not cleared, and Diaby expertly pulled the high ball down - which Alex Song turned wide from three yards.

It proved costly as Chelsea snatched the lead on 28 minutes.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas was cautioned for showing dissent after he was ruled to have tripped Drogba. The Ivorian lofted the resulting free-kick into the penalty area and Alex headed the ball in off the underside of the crossbar, with Fabianski rooted to the spot as Arsenal conceded a first Premier League goal at Emirates in more than 13 hours.

Fabregas was then fortunate to stay on the field when he upended Malouda and received only a stern talking to from referee Phil Dowd.

As happened against United, Arsenal found themselves 2-0 down before they could respond.

Nicolas Anelka, once idolised by Gunners fans, picked up the ball just inside the opposition half and charged forward before riffling a shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Fabianski made a smart stop with his legs from Anelka during first-half stoppage time but it was 3-0 just four minutes after the restart as Arsenal hit the self-destruct button in defence again, when Cole's cross from the left was put past Fabianski by the outstretched boot of Kolo Toure.

Cech saved from van Persie before substitute Nicklas Bendtner - fined after being photographed leaving a nightclub with his trousers down after the United defeat - headed a consolation goal with 20 minutes left.

Although the Gunners, who travel to Old Trafford for what could be a title party next week, went on to have a good spell, it was too little too late - and Malouda tapped in Chelsea's fourth from close range in the 86th minute after Anelka had struck the post following a counter-attack.

Malouda delighted with response

Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda was delighted with the way his side bounced back from their Champions League disappointment with a 4-1 victory at Arsenal today.

The Blues crashed out to Barcelona's last-gasp goal in the semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge in midweek but responded with an impressive performance.

''We knew that it would be difficult to start again but I think we did it very well this afternoon and we are very happy with the result because to win here at the Emirates like we did is very good,'' said Malouda, who scored the fourth goal of the rout.

''We knew we had to control the game (when we were 2-0 up) and that if we conceded any goals they could come back. We tried to keep the ball and make them run and we knew we would have other opportunities.''

The Frenchman added that Chelsea are focused on securing second place in the Barclays Premier League this season.

They are three points behind Liverpool with two games to go and Malouda added on Sky Sports 1: ''Until the end of the season we are focused on trying to be runners-up. We know it'll be difficult because Liverpool are playing very well. There are two games to go now and we have to play them for our fans because they were disappointed too (with the Champions League result) and we'll try and do it for them.''

Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink also praised his team, who secured a top-three spot with the win. ''I was very proud of the reaction of the team,'' Hiddink said. ''Everyone knows after Wednesday that it's very difficult to make it happen. 'I think the team reacted perfectly except for the first 15 minutes. It shows that this team is one of strongest in Europe.

''There's a big gap between us and (fourth-placed) Arsenal but we keep on going in the two games coming up.''

Chelsea kept their composure to weather early pressure from the home side before killing the game off with two clinical strikes before half-time from Brazilian defender Alex and former Gunner Nicolas Anelka.

An own goal from Kolo Toure put them three ahead straight after the re-start, with substitute Nicklas Bendtner pulling a goal back before Florent Malouda scored Chelsea's fourth three minutes from time.

"We are all delighted with the performance today for several reasons,'' said Hiddink. "We started the first 20 minutes with a hangover from Wednesday, and Arsenal were able to play their beautiful game, creating chances. But the reaction of the team was great. We created a beautiful goal from Alex and went on with dominance.

"Overall I can be very proud of the team after what has happened. The injustice with not being in the final of the European Cup is felt by everyone in the team, and having this reaction against Arsenal makes me very proud on how the boys reacted, both tactically and mentally.''

Hiddink added: "Securing third place gives me and everyone inside great satisfaction, considering the situation in February. The players have reacted perfectly and I am very proud.''

Today's result was Arsenal's heaviest home defeat to Chelsea in the league since 1960.

Hiddink observed: "It shows, first of all, that Chelsea are one of the two or three biggest clubs performing in Europe - but it will also give Arsenal a lot to think about. It might be a considerable blow and show them what they have to do.''

Despite a second crushing home defeat in the space of a week, having also gone out of the Champions League to Manchester United, Gunners boss Wenger maintained it was not "all doom and gloom'' at Emirates Stadium.

"We have to take some distance, because it was not a 4-1 game today,'' he said. "Going forwards we were very interesting and created plenty of chances, and should have been 2-0 up, but were caught. We missed seven or eight clear chances and had every mistake punished by a team of quality.''

Wenger added: "Our chances to finish third are over, but this result will not have any other influence other than that. We conceded three against Manchester United and four today, so we have to improve the way we defend. In the games that mattered in the last three or four weeks, we could not win. That is what we have to analyse.''

Arsenal major shareholder Alisher Usmanov has claimed the club must "step up'' their transfer dealings this summer if they want to compete. Wenger, though, maintained: "You would not like to come out and say we will buy four defenders.

"It is more a question of balance in the team rather than individuals.'' Wenger added: "At the moment, I don't know what funds will be available. I will be told by the club. We have to continue to improve, but the areas where it is right. It is not necessarily about quantity of money.''