Chelsea player ratings vs Arsenal: No Cole Palmer, no point! Blues blown away as Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez and more embarrassed at the Emirates

Chelsea’s hopes of forcing themselves into European competition suffered a blow as they struggled without star man Cole Palmer at Arsenal, with the Gunners running out 5-0 winners on Tuesday as they continue to pursue the Premier League title.

Palmer was ruled out through illness, and Mauricio Pochettino’s side made a dreadful start as Leandro Trossard fired an angled shot through Djordje Petrovic to open the scoring just four minutes in. The hosts continued to dominate proceedings thereafter, although Axel Disasi and Nicolas Jackson perhaps should have done better when chances presented themselves to Chelsea.

The Blues capitulated after the break, however, as Ben White doubled Arsenal’s lead after the visitors failed to clear a corner, before ex-Chelsea forward Kai Havertz lifted an effort into the roof of the net having been played behind Pochettino’s disastrous defence.

Havertz then grabbed his second as he cut inside onto his left foot before firing a low shot in off the post midway through the second period, and he was joined by White in scoring twice as the full-back’s lobbed cross floated over Petrovic for the home side’s fifth.

GOAL rates Chelsea’s players from the Emirates Stadium…