Arsenal 0-0

Independent:

Blues close in on Premier League title after fiery stalemate
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0
SAM WALLACE

Jose Mourinho has the Premier League in the proverbial headlock and the day is not too far away when the canvas will be slapped, the submission offered and Chelsea can get on with celebrating the fourth championship of the Roman Abramovich era. In the meantime, there is no point pretending that the last days of their campaign is the great spectacle that the English football sells itself as around the world.
Nevertheless, here is something compelling about Chelsea’s ruthlessness, the way in which their defence seemed to multiply into 15, 20, 25 blue shirts all ready to block, tackle or head away the few attempts Arsenal had on goal. Like a terrifying dystopian army that simply multiplies every time an attack is launched on it, Mourinho’s Chelsea of 2015 have overwhelmed the rest.
The switch has been flicked from artistic to strategic, to borrow Mourinho’s own analogy, and from the sleek vintage sports car of the early part of the season his team are now the monster truck with the outsized wheels of last few weeks, riding roughshod over the rest. Nevertheless, the outstanding defensive performances need to be duly noted and there were few better than John Terry whom Mourinho said played his best game for Chelsea under his management.
Cesc Fabregas is booked for an alleged dive in the Arsenal area Cesc Fabregas is booked for an alleged dive in the Arsenal area No team turns counter-attack into a useful, time-guzzling period of sterile possession like Chelsea. No team is so well-drilled in simply doing what it has to do. Mourinho and Chelsea have earned the right over the course of the season to come to the Emirates, with six games left, and play for a draw, but it would have been so much better if they had needed to win.
At the final whistle the home fans sang, “boring, boring, Chelsea”, and yet, as with everything else, Mourinho had his response prepared for that eventuality. “I think ten years without the title, that’s boring,” he said, momentarily slipping back into full sneer.
With five points remaining between them and the league title, Chelsea cannot clinch it at Leicester City on Wednesday, but they can do so against Crystal Palace a week today. In the meantime, a 13 game between Arsene Wenger and the coach who has plagued his last decade ends without the first victory for the Arsenal manager, whose team tried to win the game with varying levels of competence.
It told you much that Arsenal’s best chance of the game came in injury-time at the end of the game when the substitute Danny Welbeck failed to get on the end of a cross from Nacho Monreal. They had just one shot on target all game, as opposed to the three mustered by Chelsea.
When the final whistle went Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill celebrated together with the kind of joy normally reserved for goals. Ivanovic sailed closest to the wind with two fouls on Alexis Sanchez that could have been bookings before he was cautioned for the third, but Chelsea had their quibbles with the referee too.
If ever there was a Mourinho team to win a Mourinho championship in the gritty dog-days of April then it was this one. His two favourite strikers, Diego Costa and Loic Remy, injured. His third, the old warhorse Didier Drogba, just not up to pulling the plough any longer. And no thought given to promoting the teenage prodigy Dominic Solanke, despite having talked him up pre-match.
Jose Mourinho was vocal on the sidelines Jose Mourinho was vocal on the sidelines Instead, he picked Oscar to do the centre-forward’s job, proof, if ever, that the position in Mourinho’s teams is not necessarily about scoring goals. In the first half, Drogba was on the bench thinking about the old days against Arsenal while Chelsea swarmed the midfield. Sometimes Willian or Eden Hazard would offer their displaced Brazilian team-mate Oscar some support but most of the time he was up there on his own, like a chemistry teacher covering a drama class.
The first half was the usual master-class of containment from Chelsea who threw themselves in front of everything that dropped in their own box and still created the best chances themselves.
Dider Drogba, off the bench, failed to add yet another goal to his tally against Arsenal Dider Drogba, off the bench, failed to add yet another goal to his tally against Arsenal There were two penalty claims for Chelsea in the first half, or one and a half to be scrupulously fair to Michael Oliver. The first was decided by that age-old referee’s protocol that if the attacker gets to the ball first it matters not how ruthlessly he is assaulted by the out-rushing goalkeeper. In this case, David Ospina took out Oscar in the Wrestlemania fashion and got away with it.
Cesc Fabregas’ ball clipped over the top had been woefully misjudged by Laurent Koscielny and Oscar lifted the ball over the goalkeeper and towards goal where Hector Bellerin was able to get round to head it away. The Chelsea man required treatment in the aftermath of the collision, a bang to the head hard enough to cause him to forget his new position.
No penalty given and much wry smiling from Mourinho. Then, halfway through the first half, Fabregas dinked a ball past Santi Cazorla in the area and went over the leg stretched out by the Arsenal man to retrieve the ball. There was undoubtedly contact, but halfway through his act of exaggeration, Fabregas appeared to be consumed by the embarrassment of his deception and it became a farce.
Arsenal felt they should have had a penalty of their own in the first half Arsenal felt they should have had a penalty of their own in the first half He was booked, although there was a case, albeit small, for a foul. Arsenal appealed for a Cazorla shot on 32 minutes that struck the arm of Gary Cahill but there was little the Chelsea man could do about it. The best chance of the first half was a ball sneaked through the Arsenal defence by Willian which Ramires tapped meekly at Ospina
Fabregas was booed half-heartedly for much of the game on his first return to Arsenal as a Chelsea player. Then, when he was substituted in the last minutes, he chanced a conciliatory applause to the home fans and found that it was reciprocated around much of the ground.
At half-time Drogba replaced Oscar, sent to hospital suffering from suspected concussion and in the second half there was scarcely a chance worthy of the mention until the frantic later stages with Welbeck and Theo Walcott introduced. Even then, Chelsea looked dangerous on the counter-attack and Arsenal gave the impression that they were ensnared in the trap that Mourinho had set for them.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin (Welbeck, 76), Cazorla; Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud (Walcott, 84).
Substitutes not used: Szczesny (gk), Debuchy, Gibbs, Wilshere, Flamini.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic; Ramires, Willian (Cuadrado, 90), Fabregas (Zouma, 82), Hazard; Oscar (Drogba, ht).
Substitutes not used: Cech (gk), Luis, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek.

Booked: Arsenal Coquelin, Cazorla, Monreal Chelsea Fabregas, Willian, Ivanovic
Referee: M Oliver.
Attendance: 60,066
Man of the match: Terry
Rating: 5

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Guardian:

Arsenal deny Chelsea but José Mourinho’s side edge closer to title
Arsenal 0 - 0 Chelsea
Daniel Taylor at the Emirates Stadium

By the end, there was the unmistakable feeling that all Arsenal were doing was delaying the inevitable. The earliest Chelsea can win the title now is at home to Crystal Palace next Sunday and, if not then, the following week against Liverpool. The only question is when the coronation happens but the real detail is that the victory parade has already been arranged for 25 May – and there was nothing Arsenal could do here to make that feel even the slightest bit premature.
Instead, we had the result that everybody could probably have predicted when they saw José Mourinho had started with a team devoid of an orthodox centre-forward. Chelsea, once again, showed their qualities of structure and defensive organisation and it is now five games since Arsenal last managed a goal against them. Arsène Wenger has still not beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts and Chelsea stubbornly refused to be drawn into the kind of match that would suit their opponents.
“Boring, boring Chelsea,” Arsenal’s supporters taunted. Mourinho came prepared into his press conference. “Boring?” he asked. “Ten years without a title – that’s boring.”
As put-downs go, it was one of his better ones. Yet he could hardly deny Chelsea’s conservatism. The tactic was to keep at least half a dozen players behind the ball and insure themselves against the counterattack, Wenger’s weapon of choice. Chelsea are grinding their way to glory but, boy, they are good at these smothering techniques.
John Terry made it seem implausible he was not even on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award, leading Mourinho to describe it as the greatest performance he had seen from his captain. César Azpilicueta excelled at left-back and at the final whistle the fist-pumping told its own story. Branislav Ivanovic launched himself into the air. Terry let out a cry of pent-up emotion. Gary Cahill embraced Azpilicueta. That sturdy quartet of thou-shall-not-pass defenders punched the sky and screamed their delight in a collective appreciation of their own work.
Did Chelsea come for the scoreless draw? No, Mourinho always wants to win but the priority was certainly to hold the fort – and there is no better team in England when it comes to subduing high-calibre opponents. It is the first time Wenger’s team have dropped points at home since November and we have to go back to the previous February to find the last occasion they did not score a league goal at home. Mesut Özil, Alexis Sánchez and their other danger men had lots of the ball but there was always that formidable bank of blue shirts ahead of them.
The paradox, perhaps, is that Chelsea could also reflect the game might have turned out very differently but for the moment, a quarter of an hour in, that provided the game’s biggest controversy. David Ospina, Arsenal’s goalkeeper, was certainly fortunate not to be punished after charging from his goalline, missing the ball and clattering into Oscar. Héctor Bellerín prevented Oscar’s looping effort from bouncing into the goal and Chelsea had every right to argue it should have been a penalty.
Wenger admitted afterwards his team had been lucky but Chelsea lose an element of sympathy because of the other occasions they resorted to deceptions to try to win a penalty. Oscar can just about be given the benefit of the doubt after an optimistic fall in front of Bellerín but Cesc Fàbregas deserved all the condemnation that came his way when he wafted his leg in the direction of Santi Cazorla, then plopped to the ground in the vain hope that the referee, Michael Oliver, might be conned. All of Mourinho’s grievances will be undermined as long as his players try it on this way.
Arsenal had complaints of their own bearing in mind the incident later in the first half when Cahill’s left arm blocked Cazorla’s goal-bound shot inside the penalty area. Özil was Arsenal’s greatest threat in the first half. Aaron Ramsey’s link-up play with the overlapping Bellerín was another feature but, with less of the ball, Mourinho’s team still created the best chances of that period. Fàbregas’s pass for Oscar’s opportunity was the outstanding moment and, seven minutes before the interval, Ramires ought to have done better after Willian’s pass.
Oscar had to go off at half-time, taken to hospital and still suffering the effects of the collision with Ospina, and Didier Drogba took over as their centre-forward to give the team a more orthodox look.
Fàbregas took up a more attacking position and Willian switched to the right, with Ramires dropping inside to partner Nemanja Matic. Yet their tactics rarely deviated. At one point Willian led a promising break and there was only Drogba and Fàbregas who showed the faintest interest in supporting their colleague. The rest hung back.
Fàbregas had a mixed afternoon on his first game back at his old club. A lot of passes were misplaced and, in the worst moments, it felt as if the protective mask he is wearing to protect a broken nose must be hampering his vision.
Fàbregas eventually removed it after one lapse. There were boos every time he touched the ball and, unforgivably, one Arsenal supporter decided the minute’s silence for the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the Bradford City fire was an appropriate time to abuse an old favourite. Equally, many applauded him when the Spaniard was substituted late on.
The more important matter for Chelsea was that they had edged another point closer to where they want to be. The substitute Danny Welbeck could not adjust his feet quickly enough with a stoppage-time chance and Chelsea’s celebrations at the end were so jubilant it said one thing: they knew.
Man of the match John Terry (Chelsea)

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Telegraph:

Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0:
Jose Mourinho shuts out Gunners to edge team closer to the title
By Henry Winter,

This was the perfect London day for Chelsea to remind everyone that the league is a marathon not a sprint, that the title is won because of ­powers of endurance and psychological strength. From start to within sight of the finishing line, Chelsea have been consistently resilient, redoubtable defensively and creative when required. They took another huge stride towards the title here as Arsenal hit the wall called John Terry.
Leading by example, Chelsea’s captain was immense, making interception after interception, nipping in to see off danger emanating from Héctor Bellerín, Alexis Sánchez and Mesut Özil twice as Arsenal raised their game in vain late on.
Terry so dominated Olivier Giroud that the Frenchman was taken off, prompting Thierry Henry to remark on Sky that Arsenal need “a top-quality centre-forward to win the league next season”. An Arsenal legend so revered he has his own statue outside the ground, Henry also added that his old team “need another centre-back and defensive midfielder” if they were to challenge Chelsea next season.
Arsenal boast some exceptional players, especially in the front six while the full-backs, Bellerín and Nacho Monreal, were good again here. Their problem is as much psychological and tactical. They need more belief in the toughest contests. They require more nous at times, from avoiding gung-ho attacking when 2-1 down against Monaco in the first leg to more tactical fluidity against Chelsea.
Mourinho’s side are so well drilled that speed in transition is needed to catch them out. Arsenal’s build-up, although frequently pleasing on the eye, was sometimes too elaborate when a rapier thrust might have brought more reward. The pacy Danny Welbeck could have been brought on earlier to trouble Terry and Gary Cahill.
Arsenal have enjoyed a good few months domestically, have reached the FA Cup final, and clearly have improved since last season but they lack that touch of intelligence and devilment to take them to the next level. “Boring, boring Chelsea” came the chant from the home fans, rather ignoring the elegance of Eden Hazard this season, the presence of five other Chelsea players in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year and the fact that the champions-elect have scored four more goals than Arsenal in the league. “We’re going to win the league,” came the riposte from the Chelsea fans.
Mourinho’s retort was even sharper. “I think ‘boring’ is 10 years without a title,’’ he said, maintaining his feud with Wenger, whose side last lifted the Premier League trophy in 2004. Wenger has still to defeat Mourinho in 13 attempts now. “Oh Arsène Wenger, we want you to stay,” the Chelsea fans crowed.
The difficult truth for Wenger is that Chelsea are better balanced, appreciating the importance of prevention as well as invention and are 10 points clear despite being hamstrung by Diego Costa’s injury. Mourinho hopes Costa could return in time for the trip to Leicester City on Wednesday or the April 29 home game with Crystal Palace when Chelsea could seal the title. They will be worthy winners and their rivals, Arsenal included, need to put up a more substantial, sustained challenge. Ten points is quite a gap.
There was a hint of desperation in the abusive chants of Arsenal fans by the end. “S--- club, no history,” they sang towards the away corner. “Where’s your European Cup?” came the inevitable reply.
As the game wound down, frustration could also be detected in some of the ­Arsenal challenges, a series of tactical fouls to break up Chelsea counters: Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla on Hazard and Monreal on Ramires. All three Arsenal players were booked but the worst challenge came in the first half from their keeper, David Ospina, who piled in to Oscar, Chelsea’s unlikely centre-forward. Running on to a magnificent Cesc Fabregas pass, Oscar lifted the ball goalwards over Ospina, who kept going, and smeared Oscar across the ground.
Chelsea have an experienced medical staff and it was a surprise that Oscar continued. He sustained concussion, which apparently did not become clear until later, when he was removed at the break and whisked to hospital. The Football Association has convened a panel of medical experts to look into head injuries and it cannot meet soon enough on this evidence. Events here were also another reminder of the need for football to trial video technology. It was a clear penalty but Michael Oliver ignored the offence. Mourinho immediately complained to the fourth official, Lee Mason. “F--- off, Mourinho” came the chant from hundreds of Arsenal fans behind the away dugout.
Mourinho just smiled and shook his head in disbelief at Oliver’s leniency towards Ospina. The challenge, almost a juddering linebacker’s block, would have guaranteed a free-kick anywhere else on the pitch.
Oliver angered Chelsea again when Fabregas scampered into the Arsenal area and collapsed when challenged by Cazorla. The contact, knee to knee, was minimal, and Fabregas pushed out his right leg towards Cazorla before dropping to earth. Again Mourinho was bemused by Oliver’s reaction, who this time brandished a yellow card for simulation. Arsenal fans, who booed their former player frequently, particularly enjoyed that.
The booking Fabregas received for a supposed diving defence at St Mary’s in December, when the Chelsea No?4 was clearly caught by Matt Targett, had begun Mourinho’s campaign about a “campaign” against his team.
Arsenal themselves felt they should have had a penalty after 33 minutes. Bellerín cut the ball back from the right, Cazorla fired goalwards and his shot hit the left arm of the sliding Cahill. Arsenal appealed loudly for a handball but Oliver waved play on, much to the hosts’ frustration.
The game was evenly poised, and entertaining despite the dearth of goals. Chelsea should have taken the lead with eight minutes of the half remaining. Hazard guided Willian down the inside-left channel and the Brazilian, who rivalled Terry for man of the match, then delivered a terrific pass, threaded through Arsenal’s back-pedalling defence to his compatriot Ramires. Chelsea’s No?7 took a touch to control the ball but his second was weak, the ball poked at Ospina, who saved with ease.
Arsenal concluded the half with a couple of chances, Sánchez shooting wide and then Mesut Özil sending his drive straight into the arms of Thibaut Courtois. The second half lacked the intensity of the first.
Drogba replaced Oscar but the focus remained on another Chelsea warhorse, Terry, protecting his goal with some well-timed clearances.
Wenger gambled, withdrawing his holding midfielder Francis Coquelin and sending on Welbeck with 14 minutes remaining. The England international arrowed a ball to the near-post which Courtois pushed away. Welbeck then went central as the ineffectual Giroud was replaced by Theo Walcott. Mourinho tried to close the game down, sending on Kurt Zouma, for Fabregas, who left the field to some jeers but also plenty of applause from Arsenal supporters. Then came the final whistle, and the partying started amongst those in blue.

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Mail:

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea:
Jose Mourinho remains unbeaten for 13th game against Arsene Wenger as Blues extend lead at the top

MARTIN SAMUEL

George Graham, from his perch in the stand, would in his own way have loved it. Not seeing Arsenal fail to overcome Chelsea, of course. Just the manner in which the opponents executed their game plan.
Chelsea didn’t need to win here. They just didn’t want to lose. So, after half-time, Jose Mourinho threw a big blue blanket over the action in the way that Graham did, on occasions, in his time at Arsenal. Some of those players were still living off those lessons years later, when Arsene Wenger won the Double with them.
Until Mourinho gave the order to shut it down, the match had been highly entertaining. A few opportunities at either end, the standard smattering of vain penalty appeals. Everyone ticked off with referee Michael Oliver, both teams looking capable of victory.
But that leaves matters to chance and Mourinho is no longer in chance-giving mode. So he sent on Didier Drogba for Oscar — who had played 30 minutes despite suffering a blow to the head and was said to have concussion — and despite this additional attacking presence the fun was over.
Wenger is still without a win over Mourinho in 13 meetings. Chelsea kept possession, held Arsenal at arm’s length and defended in a masterly fashion, particularly captain John Terry, whose exclusion from the six-man shortlist for PFA Player of the Year looks more ridiculous with each match Chelsea close down on the way to the inevitable.
If Graham permitted himself an inner half-smile it was because this was a performance that reminded of his Arsenal — resilient, commanding, unbending, uncaring. The home crowd enjoyed a few robust choruses of ‘Boring, boring Chelsea’ at the end but the champions-elect were too busy celebrating to notice.
The bottom line is this: all the teams that complain about the football Chelsea are playing had their chance to stop it and did not.
Arsenal lost 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Win that game and there would have been four points between the teams going into this. Win that and Chelsea might not have been able to adopt such a high-risk, rope-a-dope policy.
Win that and a late Arsenal goal here could have taken the difference to a point. Instead, Chelsea held out knowing that, even if Arsenal got lucky, the worst that could happen would be a seven-point differential.
It was worth the gamble to just dig in and let Arsenal slam themselves against a brick wall. So that’s what they did. Graham would have done the same. Needing to win by two at Liverpool on the last day of the 1988-89 season, he told his players not to get sucked into playing open football, and not to worry if it was 0-0 at half-time. They still had 45 minutes to score. Arsenal won the league with close to the last kick of the season.
That, however, is not Mourinho’s style. He is a front-runner, who likes to get his team to a commanding position and then bring the shutters down. To do that, however, requires nerve — and Mourinho has plenty in his captain, Terry.
No doubt when Graham looks at Terry he sees an echo of his own man, Tony Adams — the last defensive leader of similar authority in the English game. Terry epitomised Chelsea’s spirit and not just when sweeping up effortlessly as Mesut Ozil stood over a clear shot at goal.
He was magnificent. Marshalling, filling in, standing tall, staying strong. For all of Eden Hazard’s qualities, the second phase of this campaign has been built from the back and, despite Arsenal’s pressure, never did they convince as an attacking force. Mourinho said this was Terry’s best game for him. High praise indeed.
In an echo of last week’s win over Manchester United, Chelsea often conceded possession to Arsenal while preventing them doing much worthwhile with it. A rare exception came when Willian, who was immense in the ground he covered, caught Laurent Koscielny with a high boot. Thibaut Courtois for once came up short, patting at the free-kick which fell to Per Mertesacker. He showed why he is a centre half, however, screwing his shot wide.
The first half was marked by a series of penalty appeals, although Chelsea’s, in particular, were strange ones. Both times they had a case but instinct suggested Michael Oliver called them right.
In the 15th minute, a lovely through pass by Cesc Fabregas put Oscar clear. He outpaced Arsenal’s back line and deftly chipped the advancing goalkeeper, David Ospina. As the ball made its way to the goal, Ospina’s desperate rush took him into Oscar at full force.
It looked a complete accident. Yet when has that ever been an excuse in other areas of the pitch? If a player hit his opponent after the ball has gone in the centre circle, it is a foul. He cannot use momentum as an excuse.
Yet Ospina got away with it, and Arsenal, too, as Hector Bellerin cleared off the line. By the version of the rules that apply in the penalty area, though, it would have seemed harsh had Ospina been found guilty, not least because he would also have been sent off, even though the collision later ended Oscar’s participation.
The next appeal had merit, too, of sorts. Without doubt, Santi Cazorla’s outstretched leg was a mistake and his efforts to retract it may not have been entirely successful. Equally, Fabregas sought to establish greater contact, jerking out his left leg to deliberately catch Cazorla and accentuate the impression of a trip. Oliver’s yellow card for simulation seemed reasonable in the circumstances.
Arsenal were aggrieved after 34 minutes but, again, to play on seemed the fairest decision. It was a neat move, Alexis Sanchez picking out Bellerin on the right, his cross being met with a low shot from Cazorla. The ball struck Gary Cahill’s leg as he lunged full-length to block, flipping up to strike him plainly on an arm. Yet Cahill’s arm was not in an unnatural position, and he could do little about the trajectory of the ball. Outrage followed when Oliver didn’t bite, but it was misplaced.
It would be wrong, however, to view the first half merely as a succession of moans and grudges. This was, initially, a fast, highly skilled game between teams who are expected to contend for the title next season.
There were chances at both ends and Ramires had the best of them when he was put through by a beautiful pass from Willian. It was crying out for a striker’s finish, but Ramires’s little poke was never going to trouble any goalkeeper, and certainly not one in the form of Ospina.
There will be the usual bus-parking guff after this, of course, as there always is when Chelsea tough it out. The fact is, however, no team go 10 points clear just by shutting games down. They go 10 clear by being the best attacking team, and then defending that lead. Chelsea have shown control over both facets of the game and that isn’t easy. Ask George Graham.

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Mirror:

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea: Mourinho prolongs unbeaten run against Wenger in frantic goalless draw
By Dave Kidd

The Blues boss made it 13 games without defeat to Wenger, meaning his side are one step closer to the Premier League title
The only surprise was that Jose Mourinho did not pull out a baton and conduct the chorus of frustration which resounded around what he regards as Arsene Wenger’s “academy of failure”.
The cries of “boring, boring Chelsea”, the shrill whistles and the catcalls must have sounded like a symphony to the man who has turned anti-football into an art form.
John Terry’s fist-pumping and screaming at the final whistle said it all. Chelsea knew this was the clincher.
Mourinho hailed this as his captain’s finest ­performance during the five seasons they have worked together.
He has been immense. His failure to make the PFA Player of the Year six-man shortlist quite laughable.
Terry will not care too much for individual honours now that his fourth title medal is in the bag.
On London Marathon day, Mourinho’s men were heading up the Mall, ready to be wrapped in tinfoil.
They are champions-elect and will be sworn in next Sunday if they win at Leicester on Wednesday, then overcome Crystal Palace at the Bridge.
The Blues have led from the front and, save for a brief mid-season stumble, they have barely faltered.
Chelsea have not won a league match by more than a single goal since a 5-0 romp at Swansea in January. But they have not even conceded a goal from inside their own half this month, only Charlie Adam’s 65-yarder crossing their line. Pretty soon it’ll take a falling meteorite.
Wenger has never beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts; which is no hoodoo, simply the natural order of things. Had Arsenal broken down the Blues here, there was a feeling it might have benefited them in next season’s title race if not this.
But despite Chelsea starting without a recognised striker, the Gunners barely laid a glove on them. The visitors recorded three decent penalty shouts to their hosts one in the first half, then pulled down the shutters.
This was Mourinho’s first visit to the Emirates since his “specialist in failure” jibe at Wenger – and also Cesc ­Fabregas’ first return to the club which nurtured him.
When Mourinho substituted the Spaniard in the 90th minute, it was as if he wanted the booing to reach a crescendo. It was, though, his only bum note of the afternoon – the midfielder actually received applause among the abuse.
Fabregas began in a protective face mask, with Oscar masquerading as a false nine. And the Brazilian might have earned two first-half spot-kicks – first when he was upended by a brush from Hector Bellerin, then when he was flattened by Arsenal keeper David Ospina.
Oscar lobbed Ospina before being clattered, only to see Bellerin head away close to the line. Referee Michael Oliver showed ­clemency to the Colombia keeper and Oscar was withdrawn at half-time with suspected ­concussion.
By the time Fabregas was harshly booked for diving in the Arsenal box as Santi Cazorla dangled a leg to impede him, Chelsea might have had three spot-kicks inside 23 minutes.
Then it was the hosts’ turn to plead, when Gary Cahill blocked Cazorla’s shot with a raised arm – only his point-blank proximity earning him the benefit of the doubt. Willian slipped Ramires through but his fellow Brazilian shot straight at Ospina.
Didier Drogba, the Gunners’ one-time nemesis, was brought on for Oscar but the old legend is fading badly.
Terry admitted it had been too open for Mourinho’s liking in the first half and, after the break, Chelsea were back on message, grinding it out.
There were half-chances for Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil, while Danny Welbeck forced one save with a deflected shot but that was all.
The Blues are champions. And they’ll never get bored of crowing about it.

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Express:

Arsenal 0 - Chelsea 0: The finishing line is drawing near for dominant Blues
By MATTHEW DUNN

The free-flowing determination to take the game to the opposition in waves of hopeful enterprise; the resolute determination and organisation of a side sullenly committed to not losing.
Ten irretrievable points that now separate first from second in the Premier League or the gnat's whisker that you would struggle to fit between the two sides on display at the Emirates yesterday.
A manager used to winning, and one who is a "specialist in failure".
Well "vive la difference" on all those counts! Because it was the clash of philosophies, styles and managerial approaches which made the 90 minutes so absorbing for the neutral and point towards a thrilling 2015/16.
In the short term, though, it was the clash between David Ospina and Oscar that will prove the bigger talking point.
Cesc Fabregas played the inviting through-ball, Oscar timed his run perfectly off the heel of Hector Bellerin, got to the ball first and toe-poked it over the out-rushing Arsenal goalkeeper.
Ospina's reckless momentum continued to carry him into the Chelsea striker, completely wiping out the Brazilian even before he could have known that Bellerin's Usain-Bolt pace would get him back in time to head the ball to safety from under the crossbar.
After treatment, he staggered uncertainly on his feet but soldiered on till half-time, when a more considered medical examination than was possible pitch-side dictated a precautionary trip to hospital.
Already discussion had begun in earnest as to how a referee such as Michael Oliver, fast becoming one of the more astute officials in the game, had failed to give such an obvious penalty.
The more important debate in the coming days, however, will centre around how football can continue to take chances, irrespective of any of the medical niceties, on allowing a player who clearly was a candidate for a bad concussion to continue for a further 26 life-threatening minutes.
Oscar's eventual withdrawal was to change the character of the game. Didier Drogba's more obvious threat in the second half proved little compensation for the mesmerising options Chelsea had offered as soon as they launched each first-half counter attack.
With no recognisable no. 9, Oscar, Eden Hazard and occasionally Willian each took their turns in an absorbing carousel of talent.
The frantic to-and-fro was as much a test for the officials as it was for the defences.
Oscar seemed to stumble rather than get caught by Bellerin in the eighth minute; likewise Fabregas went looking so hard for contact with his trailing foot after 24 minutes that a booking for simulation could be entirely justified.
At the other end, Chelsea had to breathe a sigh of relief when Arsenal had a penalty shout of their own before the break.
Mourinho has drilled his defence so well in blocking shots legitimately that these days they bounce around like the armless Black Knight in Monty Python's The Holy Grail when any opponent is primed to shoot.
However, when Santi Cazorla met Bellerin's pull-back with a goal-bound effort, Cahill's arm was uncharacteristically high in the air when the ball struck it.
At the very least, it was an invitation to Oliver to give a penalty and red card. Thankfully, in keeping with common sense if not necessarily the modern letter of the law, it was one the referee politely declined.
A moment of individual brilliance might have claimed the spoils, but in the end it was a day for the brilliant spoilers.
Terry, in particular, was once again turning in the sort of performance which it would just be easier for the FA – given his baggage and exile – if he didn't.
"Enough, now, John," they must be thinking. "You're 34. Stop embarrassing the English game by remaining this good."
Arsenal, who could have snatched all three points with a bit more composure in front of goal late in the game, were also uncharacteristically solid defensively – a hard lesson they have learned from their Monaco Champions League debacle.
They retreated as a well-drilled back-four straight from the pages of Fever Pitch and, with the unselfish Francis Coquelin and inspirational Santi Cazorla happy to lend a hand, it gives them a solid foundation on which to build for next year.
And that was the most edifying conclusion of all, yesterday.
The point-gap between Arsenal and Chelsea is now one fewer than it was way back on October 18. Arsenal lost the title in the first eight games and have never recovered.
But on the evidence of yesterday, next year may be different. Vive! to that.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ospina 6; Bellerin 6, Mertesacker 7, Koscielny 6, Monreal 6; Cazorla 8, Coquelin 6 (Welbeck 77, 6); Ramsey 7, Ozil 6, Sanchez 7; Giroud 6 (Walcott 84). Booked: Coquelin, Ramsey, Cazorla, Monreal. NEXT UP: Hull City (a) Saturday, PL

CHELSEA (4-1-4-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 7, Terry 9, Azpilicueta 7; Matic 8; Ramires 7, Fabregas 6 (Zouma 90), Willian 7 (Cuadrado 90), Hazard 6; Oscar 6 (Drogba 45, 6). Booked: Fabregas, Willian, Ivanovic. NEXT UP: Leicester (a) Wednesday, PL
REFEREE: Michael Oliver (Cheshire)

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Star:

Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0: Blues close in on title with goalless draw against Gunners
THEY say it's a marathon, not a sprint. But it's becoming a stroll for Chelsea.
By Paul Brown

While a record 37,500 were pounding the streets of the capital yesterday, the Blues were marching on slow but steady towards a title which is already theirs in all but name.
Even the London Marathon was closer. Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge only won that by five seconds.
This race has been over for a long time. Chelsea came for a draw and got it. Their lead at the top of the table is still 10 points.
Nobody else can win the championship. They can only lose it from here - and it would take the biggest collapse in Premier League history.
Arsenal made a fight of it, and at times it was a typical derby, littered with crunching tackles and controversy.
Jose Mourinho has never lost to Arsene Wenger and it's been five years since Arsenal last beat Chelsea here.
In the end controversy won out over quality, with Chelsea denied three penalties and Arsenal denied one of their own, while Cesc Fabregas was booked for diving on his return to his old club.
The draw means Chelsea can't now win it at Leicester on Wednesday. But it only delayed the inevitable.
With their lead at the top so big, there was no reason to risk rushing Diego Costa back.
But it was still a surprise to see Oscar lead the line for Chelsea, who started with Didier Drogba on the bench.
He wanted a penalty early on after being played in by Fabregas, a scandalous omission from the PFA team of the year, but replays proved there was minimal contact.
Chelsea signalled their intent by fouling Alexis Sanchez at every opportunity, with Branislav Ivanovic particularly lucky to escape punishment for an ugly hack at the Chilean.
Arsenal showed they could dish it out as well as take it though when Francis Coquelin decked Eden Hazard by barging into the Belgian.
The Gunners had won nine in a row and reached the FA Cup final going into the game and looked right up for the battle.
Mourinho's decision to play Oscar almost paid off when he beat David Ospina to a Fabregas pass only to see his volley cleared off the line by Hector Bellerin.
The Blues boss wanted a penalty as Ospina took the Brazilian out on the follow-through - leaving Oscar with mild concussion - but referee Michael Oliver was unmoved.
Then it was Fabregas' turn to go down in the box, under a tackle from Santi Cazorla. He made the most of it, and got booked as a result. But there was contact.
Chelsea survived a penalty claim themselves when Cazorla's effort bounced up and hit Gary Cahill's hand. His arm was raised, but it was ball-to-hand from point blank range.
Ramires should have put the Blues ahead when he was played in by Willian but snatched at his shot and Ospina saved.
Chelsea were in full lockdown mode for most of the second half and Arsenal had no answer.
Per Mertesacker and Cazorla sliced half-chances wide, Danny Welbeck had a shot saved, and Chelsea survived a goalmouth scramble in stoppage time. But that was about it.
The home fans were singing "Boring, boring Chelsea!" well before the final whistle.
But their team only managed two meaningful shots on target all game.
The finish line is in sight for Chelsea. It won't be long now.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ospina 6; BELLERIN 7, Koscielny 6, Mertesacker 6, Monreal 6; Cazorla 6, Coquelin 6 (Welbeck 77); Ramsey 5, Ozil 6, Sanchez 6; Giroud 5 (Walcott 83). Subs: Szczesny, Debuchy, Gibbs, Wilshere, Flamini.
UP NEXT: Hull (a) Premier League, Saturday
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 7; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, TERRY 8, Azpilicueta 6; Matic 7, Fabregas 6 (Zouma 90); Ramires 6, Willian 7 (Cuadrado 90), Hazard 6; Oscar 7 (Drogba 46, 6). Subs: Cech, Luis, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek.
UP NEXT: Leicester (a) Premier League, Wednesday
Referee: Michael Oliver 6
Your turn: Who was the last man to score a hat-trick in a Arsenal v Chelsea game?
STAR MAN: John Terry - No better organiser
STAR SHOCKER: Arsene Wenger - Still winless against Mourinho
Match: 2

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