LONDON -- Chelsea are in line to win two league titles on Friday evening after their under-18s side moved within one win of U18 Premier League glory with Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Cobham.
Goals from Cole Dasilva, Trevoh Chalobah and substitute Martell Taylor-Crossdale gave Jody Morris' men the victory they needed to leapfrog the Gunners at the top of Group 1 with one round of fixtures remaining, despite Eddie Nketiah's strike early in the second half.
The result means Chelsea U18s will add the U18 Premier League to last month's Southern League and FA Youth Cup triumphs if they can beat Reading at home in their final fixture on Friday evening -- at the same time that Antonio Conte's senior team will be attempting to wrap up the Premier League title away at West Bromwich Albion.
Only six of the youngsters who started the second leg last month's FA Youth Cup final at Stamford Bridge began the match at Cobham, as Jody Morris handed goalkeeper Marcin Bulka as well as Joseph Colley, Dasilva, Conor Gallagher and Harvey St Clair chances to impress.
Arsenal kicked off one point clear of their London rivals at the top of the table but it was Chelsea who dominated the opening minutes, with the lively St Clair at the heart of much of their best work.
A pair of dangerous Mason Mount corners caused uncertainty in the Arsenal defence before Chelsea broke the deadlock in the 10th minute. Having drifted over to the right flank, St Clair's cross floated through to Dasilva, who sent a bouncing volley in off the far post.
Stung into life by the early setback Arsenal began to impose themselves in the final third, led by impressive playmaker Reiss Nelson.
Shortly after winning and flashing a free-kick just wide of Bulka's far post from just outside the penalty area, Nelson drove forward and found Donyell Malen in crossing position on the left flank, and only a last-ditch block from Chalobah prevented Joe Willock from bringing the visitors level.
Nketiah worried Bulka with a curling shot from range before Chelsea made attacking inroads again -- Dujon Sterling racing into the penalty area and firing a low shot at Joao Virginia after a neat one-two with Mount.
Chelsea's captain grew in influence as the first half wore on and in the 35th minute his out-swinging corner was glanced into the net by Chalobah, scorer in last month's FA Youth Cup final triumph.
Both teams spurned good chances just before the interval. Ike Ugbo raced onto a scooped pass from Mount and rounded Virginia only to be smothered by recovering Arsenal defenders, before Bulka sliced a clearance straight into the chest of Nelson, who chose to pass to an offside Nketiah rather than shoot.
Arsenal began the second half with renewed urgency and were swiftly rewarded when Willock jinked his way around Colley on the right before setting up Nketiah for the simplest of close-range finishes.
The early goal shifted the momentum in favour of the visitors and moments after substitute Vlad Dragomir stung the palms of Bulka from distance, the Romanian volleyed just over from Jordon Osei-Tutu's pinpoint delivery from the right.
Chelsea, however, weathered the storm and with 13 minutes left, Ugbo's pass gave Taylor-Crossdale the chance to drill a low shot beyond Virginia to put Jody Morris' men on the brink of a spectacular treble.