How Chelsea could line up against Arsenal

Chelsea make the trip to face Arsenal on Sunday afternoon looking to strengthen their grip on fourth position in the Premier League table.

Despite the disappointing 2-0 defeat at home to Southampton on Boxing Day, the Blues hold a two-point advantage over the chasing pack.

The fixture at the Emirates Stadium comes just a week after Frank Lampard watched his team put in arguably their best performance of the season in beating Tottenham Hotspur in North London.

Here, Sports Mole predicts how Chelsea could line up for the meeting with one of their biggest rivals.

Out: Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Achilles) Doubtful: Reece James (ankle)

> Click here for Chelsea's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

While using three at the back against the Saints did not work as Lampard would have hoped, the Englishman is expected to stick with the same combination in defence.

However, Reece James will be in contention to get the nod ahead of Cesar Azpilicueta at right wing-back, providing that he has shaken off an ankle problem.

On the opposite side of the pitch, Marcos Alonso will come in for Emerson Palmieri if he is over the issue which kept him out on Thursday.

Having served a one-match ban, Mateo Kovacic will return to the starting lineup, probably in place of Jorginho rather than N'Golo Kante.

Further forward, Mason Mount is in line to replace Callum Hudson-Odoi, despite Lampard's suggestion that the latter had made an impression in training.

Christian Pulisic is likely to remain among the substitutes, as are the likes of Pedro and Michy Batshuayi.

> Click here to see how Arsenal could line up for this fixture