Staff Reporter.
@PL.
Romelu Lukaku scored his first ever Chelsea goal – almost a decade after his debut – as Thomas Tuchel’s team deservedly beat Arsenal.
Lukaku, who was at Chelsea as a teenager, started at the Emirates after his £97.5m signing from Inter Milan and looks to have given the Blues an ominous new dimension.
His hold-up and link-up play caused Arsenal problems all day – and the Belgian duly gave them the lead.
Lukaku was involved in the build-up and then finished the move from close range into an empty net from Reece James’ pass.
James got the second himself as he slammed the ball into the roof of the net from Mason Mount’s pass to make it two wins from two in the league.
Lukaku almost made it 3-0 but his header was tipped onto the bar by Bernd Leno.
Arsenal, missing centre-back Ben White through Covid, have now lost more London derbies in the Premier League this season than last – after just two games.
It is only the third time Arsenal have lost their opening two Premier League matches in a season.
Chelsea finished fourth last season, 19 points adrift of winners Manchester City, but lifted the Champions League and have started this season with two victories from their opening two games without conceding a goal.
Meanwhile Arsenal are in a “difficult and unprecedented situation” after their record-breaking poor start to the season, according to Mikel Arteta.
“I don’t think the club in their history have faced something like this,” boss Arteta told BBC Sport.
“We have to face the challenge. The league or table is not decided in August. The worst thing you can do is throw in the towel. We certainly are not going to do that.”
Lukaku – on his first appearance since joining Chelsea for £97.5m – and James scored the goals and the Blues could have added more.
Arsenal are in the relegation zone at the end of a day – excluding on the opening day of a season – for the first time since August 1992.
Arteta added: “You have to understand the situation we have. We are missing nine players, and it is difficult. It is not just nine players – they are some big, big players.”