Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0: Chelsea hit Arsenal for six in Wenger's 1,000th game

Oxlade-Chamberlain even approached Marriner to tell him it was he who handled the ball

LONDON, March 22 (Reuters) - Chelsea ripped apart Premier League title rivals Arsenal in a 6-0 mauling at Stamford Bridge on Saturday to ensure Arsene Wenger's 1,000th game turned into a nightmare for him and blundering referee Andre Marriner.

Goals from Samuel Eto'o, Andre Schuerrle, Eden Hazard, Oscar (2) and Mohamed Salah coupled with Marriner's decision to send off Kieran Gibbs for a handball by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will ensure Wenger remembers the day for all the wrong reasons.

The sending-off did little to affect the destination of the points, however, as Arsenal were already 2-0 down when Gibbs was dismissed for his team mate's indiscretion and Hazard stepped up to covert the resulting penalty.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho extended his unbeaten record against his bitter managerial rival to 11 games and the league leaders moved seven points clear of third-placed Arsenal having played a game more.

Second-placed Liverpool, who are also seven points adrift of Chelsea with two games in hand, visit Cardiff City later on Saturday and Manchester City, in fourth, host bottom club Fulham.