Arsenal's 4-0 win over Chelsea in pre-season had Thomas Tuchel fuming, but few would've expected it to serve as a warning for what was to come.
Last term the Blues finished five points ahead of their London rivals whilst also reaching two cup finals. The Gunners blew their chance of a top four finish and Champions League football with a late season collapse before a summer of change for both clubs.
Chelsea's Russian ownership ended with Todd Boehly arriving as co-owner, huge sums were spent on the likes of Wesley Fofana and Raheem Sterling whilst at the Emirates they added Premier League winning experience to their squad in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
The Ukrainian would make his debut in the pre-season rout against the Blues with Jesus getting amongst the goals. Freak scorelines in pre-season are nothing new as clubs gear up for the new season, but few would've guessed that the gulf across the 90 minutes would offer a glimpse into the coming months.
Tuchel, not one to shirk his words, was raging after the performance. An XI that included the likes of Sterling, Timo Werner, Mason Mount, Thiago Silva and Reece James were outplayed and the German refused to confirm that they would be match ready for the season.
"We were simply not competitive," Tuchel told reporters. "The worrying part is that the level of commitment physically and mentally for this match was far higher for Arsenal than for us." He also added: "I don't know if I ever lost a match in preseason 4-0. I can't remember not winning two matches in a row in preseason."
Chelsea endured a difficult end to the 2021/22 season with sanctions placed upon them meaning they couldn't negotiate new deals. It resulted in several key men leaving and those voids needed to be filled throughout the summer, but Tuchel remained concerned about the quality that left.
"We got sanctioned and players left us, we know that some players are trying to leave us, and this is where it is. We had an urgent appeal for quality players and a huge amount of quality players. We've got two quality players - that is no doubt - but we are not competitive like this and unfortunately, we could see it today."
Tuchel's Chelsea would win two of their opening five games - suffering defeats to Leeds and Southampton, who are both now scrapping to avoid relegation. Arsenal meanwhile would win their first five games, setting them up for a sensational first-half of the season.
Less than two months after the Blues were humiliated in pre-season by Arsenal and Tuchel was a man out of a job as Boehly opted for a change in the dugout. His replacement, Graham Potter, hired on a five-year deal, has already been given the boot such were his struggles.
Two months after his appointment his Chelsea side hosted an Arsenal team who were firmly on the rise and they underlined their title credentials by securing a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge. Gabriel proved to be their match winner and, at that point, the gap between the two teams was 13 points.
Now, as we head into the final weeks of the season, there is a seismic gulf between the two clubs. 37 points now separates them as Arsenal prepare for a return to the Champions League and Chelsea ready for a year without European football as a new man, expected to be Mauricio Pochettino, attempts to revive their fortunes.
