Preview: Arsenal vs Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

Chelsea's Premier League unbeaten run under Liam Rosenior will be put to the test and then some on Sunday afternoon, when the Blues face the only side to get one over them in their new era so far - Arsenal.

The Gunners return to an elated Emirates fresh from a 4-1 trouncing of Tottenham Hotspur, shortly after their visitors were excruciatingly pegged back in a 1-1 draw with Burnley.

Match preview

Death, taxes, and Eberechi Eze scoring against Spurs; the former Crystal Palace playmaker has largely been found wanting since his marquee summer arrival, but his erstwhile admirers evidently bring out the best in him.

A few months on from his heroic home hat-trick in the North London derby, Eze's double complemented a brace from man-of-the-match Viktor Gyokeres at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Mikel Arteta's men exhibited an added layer of steel.

Some travelling supporters may have feared the worst when Declan Rice's gaffe led to an immediate Randal Kolo Muani leveller, but rather than retreat into their shell - as was the case at Wolverhampton Wanderers - Arsenal went all guns blazing to rip their rivals apart.

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Doing so allowed the Gunners to restore a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, albeit one that will be temporarily reduced if Manchester City - still boasting a game in hand - manage to overcome Leeds United on Saturday evening.

Arteta's men have been rebuilding the walls of the Emirates fortress since January's shock reverse to Manchester United, though, winning four home games on the spin and keeping clean sheets in each of their last three, while netting eight times themselves.

The Premier League form book slightly favours the men in blue, who have taken 14 points from their last 18 games compared to Arsenal's 11, but a couple of cracks have started to appear in the Rosenior project.

After recovering from a painful 2-2 draw with Leeds United by putting four past FA Cup opponents Hull City without reply, the worst kind of deja vu reared its ugly head for Chelsea last weekend, as they dropped points to a newly-promoted side at home for the second week running.

Zian Flemming's last-gasp leveller stole a point for Burnley at Stamford Bridge, leaving fifth-placed Chelsea three points shy of Manchester United in fourth spot, although the contest was overshadowed by abhorrent instances of racist abuse being directed towards Wesley Fofana and Hannibal Mejbri.

Last weekend's stalemate at least means that the Blues remain unbeaten in the top flight since Rosenior took the reins, and the former Strasbourg boss could become the first English manager since Tim Sherwood in 2013-14 to win each of his first three Premier League away matches.

However, Rosenior has already been out-witted twice by Arsenal in the EFL Cup semi-finals, and not since August 2021 have Chelsea managed to get one over the Gunners, who are on an exceptional 10-game unbeaten streak against the Club World Cup winners.

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Chelsea Premier League form:

Chelsea form (all competitions):

Team News

Arsenal suffered their inevitable Bukayo Saka injury scare when the England international suffered an awkward ankle twist in the dying embers against Spurs, but Arteta did not deliver a post-game update, suggesting that he is OK to take part in this derby.

Kai Havertz is also due to train on Saturday and could return, but Ben White (knock) is more of a doubt, while Max Dowman will play in an Under-21s friendly on Friday so will likely not be involved at the weekend.

Martin Odegaard was a second-half substitute last weekend after shaking off a knee issue, but the skipper will surely play second fiddle to Eze once again; each of the latter's last 11 Premier League goals has been scored in London.

On Chelsea's end, Rosenior will be forced into a defensive alteration owing to Fofana's sending-off for two bookable offences against Burnley, which carries a one-game suspension.

Tosin Adarabioyo should be given the nod to deputise for Fofana in defence, but Rosenior is still missing Marc Cucurella (thigh) and Estevao Willian (thigh) for the trip to Arsenal, while the statuses of Dario Essugo (unspecified) and Filip Jorgensen (unspecified) are unclear.

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (thigh) and Levi Colwill (knee) are also sidelined for the visitors, as is Mykhaylo Mudryk, who has now broken the record for the longest suspension in Premier League history.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Sanchez; James, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Gusto; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro

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We say: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea

Arsenal's greatest player of all time, Thierry Henry, has admitted that he is more worried about Chelsea than he was about Spurs, but the Frenchman should have no reason to fret.

The Gunners were back to their ruthless selves against Tottenham, while an injury-hit Blues side have dropped the second-most points from winning positions in the 2025-26 Premier League; therefore, even if the visitors can draw first blood, it should prove futile.

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