Arsenal made history with a 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield United on Monday, keeping them on the heels of Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
Martin Odegaard, Jayden Bogle’s own goal, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Declan Rice put the visitors up 5-0 at halftime, with Ben White completing the scoring.
Mikel Arteta’s side became the first in English Premier League history to win three consecutive away games by five or more goals.
Sheffield United, on the other hand, made history by becoming the first English Premier League team to concede five or more goals in three consecutive home games.
Arsenal’s astonishing streak of 31 goals in seven successive Premier League wins since the winter break has given them a significant advantage over their opponents if the title is decided on goal difference.
They remain in third place, just two points behind leaders Liverpool and one behind defending champions City.
Arteta’s side, on the other hand, can move top with a win at home to Brentford on Saturday, before facing Liverpool and City at Anfield on Sunday.
There looked to be little doubt about the outcome from the opening whistle at Bramall Lane.
Bukayo Saka struck the crossbar after just two minutes, and the Blades’ brief resistance ended five minutes later.
Rice’s cross found the unmarked Odegaard, who turned into the bottom corner.
Saka’s five-game scoring streak in the league came to an end, but he did record two assists before leaving at halftime.
The England international easily turned former Arsenal defender Austin Trusty as he moved to the byline, where his driven cross deflected off Bogle and into his own net.
Martinelli’s deflected effort immediately made it 3-0, forcing United manager Chris Wilder to make a change after only 17 minutes.
Ben Osborn replaced Oliver Norwood, but a change in shape did little to stop the hosts’ hemorrhage.
Havertz is beginning to silence his detractors after a sluggish start at the Emirates following his £65 million ($82 million) move from Chelsea.
The German international scored Arsenal’s fourth goal with his left foot.
Rice then joined the party, sweeping home Saka’s cross six minutes before halftime.
Saka was given a rare respite in the second quarter, and only the sight of Martinelli hobbling off shortly after the hour mark marred an otherwise faultless night for the visitors.
On 58 minutes, White finished off Havertz’s cut-back to equal Arsenal’s Premier League away win record, which they had set just last month at West Ham.
By that point, many of the home fans had left, accepting their team’s fate for the night and the season.
Wilder’s team remains at the bottom of the table, 11 points from safety with 11 games remaining.
Arsenal, on the other hand, is 11 games away from their first league title in 20 years and could not be in better shape as they approach the finish line.