Arsenal vs. Chelsea: Eberechi Eze aiming to match Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goalscoring feat in Premier League clash

Arsenal playmaker Eberechi Eze could emulate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when the Gunners take on Chelsea in Sunday's Premier League blockbuster.

The former Crystal Palace star has failed to impress on a consistent basis since his marquee summer arrival, although North London derbies have been an extraordinary exception.

Following on from November's hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur, Eze struck a brace in last weekend's 4-1 victory over the Lilywhites, taking him up to five goals in just two games against Spurs in 2025-26.

Furthermore, the only non-Tottenham goal Eze has scored for Arsenal in the current Premier League campaign also came in a London derby, as he bagged the winner in a 1-0 success over former club Palace in October.

The last Arsenal player to score more London derby goals in one Premier League season was Aubameyang in 2018-19, and Eze could match the Gabon international's total of seven with another strike on Sunday.

Arsenal vs. Chelsea: How Eberechi Eze can emulate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Eight seasons ago, Aubameyang bagged his seven London derby goals against three opponents, most notably scoring twice in a 4-2 home victory over Tottenham under Unai Emery.

The now-Marseille forward also netted three times against Fulham - one at the Emirates and two at Craven Cottage - while scoring once in both matches with Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace.

Aubameyang struck the only goal of the game at Vicarage Road in a 1-0 success over Watford too, but the Hornets are not classified as a London club.

Eze will seemingly be handed a golden chance to equal Aubameyang's 2018-19 total on Sunday, as the 27-year-old is expected to keep his place in the first XI despite competition from a fit-again Martin Odegaard.

The captain came off the bench to set up Viktor Gyokeres's second at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although Mikel Arteta did not rule out using Eze and Odegaard together in his pre-game press conference.

Arsenal vs. Chelsea: Mikel Arteta talks up specific Eberechi Eze combination

The England international has been trialled on the left of the Arsenal attack to limited success, but Gabriel Martinelli has struggled in the Premier League this term, while Leandro Trossard has just one assist and no goals in his last nine Premier League matches.

Asked about using Eze on the left and Odegaard centrally, Arteta replied: "There is a possibility to do that, for sure. I think we only did it once, and it was for a short period of time because Martin had a shoulder injury."

The Spaniard also talked up the possible combination of Eze and Piero Hincapie down the left-hand side, in a further hint that the former could be moved to a wide role in the future.

"It's a combination that we can do," he added. "When we talk about connection, that's a connection that I think will work really well, especially against a certain type of opponent. So that's another option that we have."

Arteta also dropped a summer transfer hint on Hincapie ahead of Sunday's visit of Chelsea, whom Arsenal are unbeaten against in 10 straight games since a 2-0 home loss in August 2021.