Arsenal beat Huddersfield Town 5-0 after a stunning burst of powerful football midway through the second half blew the Terriers away.

The Gunners led 1-0 at the break through a Alexandre Lacazette goal on three minutes. Huddersfield battled gamely but three goals in three minutes clinched the win on a cold night in North London with another late on.

Olivier Giroud scored on 69 minutes before Alexis Sanchez made it 2-0 a minute later with Mesut Ozil adding a third 120 seconds later. There was even time for Giroud to grab a second as Arsene Wenger’s men thrashed the visitors.

Earlier Ozil’s return boosted Arsenal after he missed the 1-0 win over Burnley on Sunday with an ‘illness’ as he replaced Alex Iwobi, who dropped to the bench.

The Gunners wasted no time in taking the lead in the Herbert Chapman derby as this fixture has been dubbed in honour of the greatest manager to lead both clubs.

A flick from Aaron Ramsey in the third minute sent Alexandre Lacazette through on goal. The 26-year-old drove on before calmly slotting past Terriers keeper Jonas Lossl to make it 1-0.

The home side nearly made it 2-0 just after the hour mark after a neat interchange between Alexis Sanchez and Granit Xhaka saw for former Borussia Moenchengladbach player feed Lacazette, who, from near the byline lifted the ball over Lossly. Unfortunately for Arsenal Martin Cranie cleared off the line before Sead Kolasinac fired over.

As the match progressed Christophe Wagner’s side began to push further forward. With eight minute s remaining until the break Elias Kachunga won a header to feed the ball to Steve Mounie who fell over in the box after tussling with Shkodran Mustafi. Despite howls of protest from the travelling fans the referee Graham Scott did not think it was a penalty. And nor did most of those watching.

A minute later Mounie fed former Union Berlin forward Colin Quaner who proceeded to show the crowd not all Germans have excellent techniques as his first touch was appalling, with his second and third not much better.

At this level it was simply not good enough and Laurent Koscileny recovered to block. It was a reminder that as much as the Terries have been lauded for their excellent start to the season – and deservedly so – they lack that little bit of extra quality.

They could have perhaps equalised early in the second half after Kachunga played the ball to Mounie whose blocked shot flew into the air, forcing a disorientated Cech to smash the ball over the bar, handball style.

It was the last time Huddersfield would genuinely threaten as Wenger’s side showed what they are capable of when the mood suits them with three goals in a matter of minutes midway through the half.

Olivier Giroud - on for Lacazette during the interval – made it 2-0 after a neat interchange between Sanchez and Ozil, who squared for him to slot home on 69 minutes. It was reward for the Frenchman who, ten minutes earlier, thudded the ball into Lossl’s near post and away.

Fewer than 60 seconds later Sanchez swept the ball home after a cross from Ozil to make it 3-0. There was more to come two minutes after that as Ozil struck to make it 4-0.

He netted after a slide rule pass from Ramsey sent him through. It was Ramsey’s last contribution as he was replaced by Jack Wilshere, with Sanchez off for Danny Welbeck with the game won in a brutal few minutes of effective ‘powerplay’ football.

Giroud then fired home a second from close range after a driving run from Sead Kolasnac into the box on 88 minutes.

If only Arsenal could play like this against the big sides.

As it was on a cold night against a team with deep links to a legendary figure one thing was certain – Herbert Chapman would have approved.