Arsenal vs. Chelsea: Arsene Wenger, Antonio Conte React to Premier League Match

Manager Arsene Wenger praised Arsenal's mix of both "style and steel" after the Gunners thrashed Chelsea 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte called on his team to show they're better on the pitch than on paper after a second straight league defeat.

The result moved Arsenal to third in the Premier League and gave the north London club their first win over Chelsea in the competition since 2011. Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil scored first-half goals for an Arsenal squad that Wenger believes can challenge unbeaten leaders Manchester City in this season's title race.

Wenger felt his team played with the ideal blend of style and toughness, a combination Chelsea couldn't handle on the day, per the Premier League's official Twitter account:

Wenger's use of the word "steel" said a lot about how the Gunners approached the game. Too often, Wenger's teams have been dismissed as all style and no substance in big matches during recent years.

Yet they approached Saturday's game with resourcefulness and a ruthless streak. Both qualities were particularly obvious in midfield, where the Gunners let Chelsea boss the ball before consistently robbing Blues players with a crunching tackle or timely interception to spark lightning-fast breaks forward.

Holding player Francis Coquelin was a key early figure in Arsenal's overtly physical approach. But the Frenchman lasted just over a half-hour before an injury forced summer signing Granit Xhaka to replace him on the pitch.

Wenger confirmed Coquelin has a knee problem but hopes the destructive midfielder won't be out as long as the four months a similar injury cost him last season, per Squawka News:

Still, not even an early change could knock the Gunners out of their stride. Wenger was particularly pleased with the fluency and flair of his team's game, per ESPN's Miguel Delaney:

Despite a trio of first-half goals and some breathtaking free-flowing football, Wenger believes there's more to come from his team, according to the club's official Twitter account:

But he did reserve special praise for Walcott while lauding how the notoriously fractious Emirates crowd supported the England winger:

Walcott has looked like a different player since returning to his natural position on the right flank. His pace, intuitive movement and underrated quality as a finisher are providing Sanchez with ample support.

Their runs dovetailing with Ozil's vision can finally give the Gunners a forward line potent enough to make waves in this season's title race. Wenger's men trail City by five points, but the Frenchman thinks his side can have a big say in the title chase, according to Delaney:

Catching the rampant Citizens looks like a tall order, even after the optimism this performance will create. For the moment, Wenger will have to be content with finally breaking his Chelsea jinx.

The Gunners chief took a moment to acknowledge his relief at snapping the lengthy losing run against the club's London rivals, per Delaney:

As for Conte, he'd settle for snapping Chelsea's winless streak after also losing 2-1 at home to Liverpool last week. It had been a long time since the former Juventus manager had suffered consecutive league defeats, according to WhoScored.com:

Sky Sports Statto noted three-goal defeats have been especially rare for the Italian:

Defensive woes were at the heart of Saturday's result. Centre-back Gary Cahill was robbed by Sanchez for the opener, setting the tone for a day of calamities at the back.

Yet Conte refused to single out Cahill for blame, per Squawka News:

Instead, Conte looked at the issues as collective ones, per Chelsea's official Twitter account:

Still, Conte didn't absolve his defence after another horror show, per Delaney:

More than anything else, Conte wants Chelsea's talent to show up on the pitch more often, according to James Benge of the London Evening Standard:

Chelsea are a more capable team than the last two results suggest, but as Conte stated, they can prove their ability only on match days.

The defence is suspect, with both Cahill and David Luiz shaky. Meanwhile, the balance in attack is dubious, as Conte still doesn't trust playmaker Cesc Fabregas.

While the Chelsea chief is struggling to strike the right balance, Wenger appears to be inching closer toward the symmetry in both attack and defence that Arsenal will need to be credible contenders for the major trophies this season.