Debate: Can anyone stop Chelsea in England and Europe after Arsenal demolition job at Emirates?

At first, there was four and then there were two.

Empahtically, unambiguously, no doubt about it, down to the two, between Carlo Ancelotti’s remorseless Blues and United’s Red shadow.

The Arsenal fans who began draining out of the Emirates at the instant Didier Drogba sounded the Last Post of their title dream, knew it too, knew that for all the animosity, they had been beaten hollow.

If ever 90 minutes emphasised the gulf that divides Ancelotti’s men and Arsene Wenger’s boys, this was unquestionably that game, the 11-point gap surely unbridgeable even at this early stage.

It was not just Ashley Cole’s return to haunt the Arsenal fans who will never forgive his perceived treachery,which brought two in three minutes from first Drogba and then poor Thomas Vermaelen before the break.

Nor, although that sparked the final exodus, was it even Drogba’s 14th of what is already a stellar season for the hulking Ivorian, as good a free-kick as you will see all campaign.

This was a bigger demonstration than the score-line alone, no matter how stark that statistic stood.

Last night, what was graphically, abundantly and painfully clear was that in every area where Arsenal were remiss and callow, Chelsea were rampant and resolute, the embodiment of controlled, directed, unstoppable power.

A power Arsenal could not deal with or compete with, a physical force that blew them away and then ensured an eighth clean sheet in nine games.

There could be no quibbling, no complaining, no moaning about the injuries, even if Wenger will have to concede, at last, that he has to spend in January to replace Robin Van Persie and add bulk to his squad.

This was about endeavour and desire, determination and drive.

And where Arsenal’s back line could not cope with the pressure, wobbled under every ball into the box as Drogba lurked and Nicolas Anelka wove his patterns, at the other end the indomitable, peerless John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho were everything Vermaelen and William Gallas were not.

When Arsenal dominated possession in the opening period, seeking to prise out an opening, they were constantly blocked, stymied, baulked and blunted by the twin Chelsea towers, who made Eduardo look slovenly in his touch.

Yet once Ancelotti’s men release the handbrake and looked to hit, there was an inevitability about what would follow.

The surprise was that it took until three minutes before the interval, although the goal would have come sooner had Andre Marriner spotted Bacary Sagna hooking Anelka off the ball when Frank Lampard played him in just after the quarter-hour.

Anelka did not protest, perhaps aware that the balance had swung towards Ancelotti’s side, and while the had to wait, it was all over before the interval.

The first came when Terry strode forward to release Cole, jeered relentlessly even as he showed Sagna the inside before going the other way to cross.

Cole’s delivery was perfect, between Vermaelen and Gallas, with Drogba’s side-foot caressing home off first the bar and then the post, with Almunia helpless.

Three minutes later, and Cole repeated the centre, Gallas hesitated and Vermaelen looked on in anguish as his knee sent the ball against the same spot of upright and again over the line.

Wenger, seeking a response and salvation, sent on Theo Walcott but to scant effect as Chelsea’s defensive blanket snuffed out the half-chances, many of which fell to Eduardo.

The Brazilian-born Croatian had another chance at the start of the second period, played in by a careless back pass but when the loose ball fell to Andriy Arshavin, Branislav Ivanovic summed up the difference as he appeared to block the Russian.

Seconds later, Arshavin’s celebrations at forcing home were cut short for Eduardo’s adjudged high boot but while Wenger protested, the fight went out if his men.

Lampard, twice, might have got a third but four minutes from time, when Cesc Fabregas downed the surging Michael Essien, Drogba had the final word.

Drogba has destroyed Arsenal before, of course, but his 10th in 11 games against the Gunners was the best of the lot, a truly sensational free-kick that simply flew home.

The Arsenal fans started for home before Drogba’s celebrations began, the Emirates in mourning.

Chelsea, though, have never looked more formidable, not even under Jose Mourinho.

That fact will make Ancelotti even happier. Fergie knows what he must beat. So, too, does the rest of Europe.