Three things we learnt from Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal

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Conte’s defensive reshuffle has outfoxed his rivals

Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat of Chelsea at the Emirates last September proved to be a watershed moment for Conte. That was the result which persuaded him to switch from a traditional four-man defence to three at the back, with two wing-backs. It has been an unqualified success, one that has turned the Premier League on its head. Conte’s preferred trio of Gary Cahill, David Luiz, and Cesar Azpilicueta were dominant once again here, restricting Arsenal to few goalscoring opportunities despite their dominance in possession. Only an injury time effort by Giroud spoilt an otherwise blameless afternoon’s work. Conte’s tactical switch has been a masterstroke. Not only has it got the very best out of his own side, but it has forced opposing teams to reshuffle their own formations. Many have tried, very few have succeeded. Only Tottenham Hotspur have got the better of Chelsea since the switch to 3-5-2 was made in early October.