Havertz fires Gunners into top spot

German forward is starting to come good for Arsenal, as it piles pressure on title rivals

LONDON — Kai Havertz took a long time to win over the Arsenal fans after his summer move from Chelsea, but there will be few doubters left after a double against his old club on Tuesday helped fire the Gunners three points clear in the title race.

The 24-year-old German produced two clinical finishes after the break as Arsenal accelerated to a 5-0 victory that sent a powerful message to Liverpool and Manchester City.

Havertz took 10 appearances to mark his first Arsenal goal and, for those first few months in north London, the player who scored the winner for Chelsea in a Champions League final looked like a player struggling to find his identity.