Arsenal and Chelsea meet in a huge London derby on Sunday, with both sides looking to maintain their perfect starts to the new Premier League season.
The match at the Emirates Stadium will also see Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta face Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso in the Premier League for the first time. The two managers have known each other since their playing days, adding another interesting dimension to an already highly anticipated fixture.
Both teams have taken maximum points from their opening two league matches, meaning six points are at stake as they look to establish themselves among the early contenders.
Arsenal looking to continue perfect start
Arsenal have made an impressive beginning to the campaign, winning their first two Premier League matches while keeping clean sheets in both games.
Mikel Arteta’s side will be confident heading into the Chelsea clash, although there are some selection concerns. Cristhian Mosquera is a doubt after picking up a knock, while Bruno Guimaraes is also being assessed.
Jurrien Timber has returned to training following his injury, but William Saliba remains unavailable because of a back problem.
Arsenal are expected to rely on the attacking quality of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, while Declan Rice will be important in midfield as the Gunners attempt to control possession and dictate the tempo.
Chelsea arrive with attacking confidence
Chelsea have also won their opening two league games under Xabi Alonso and have shown plenty of attacking promise.
Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro have emerged as important attacking threats, giving Chelsea several players capable of creating chances and exploiting spaces behind Arsenal’s defence.
Chelsea have nevertheless experienced some significant changes in the squad. Enzo Fernandez completed a £125 million transfer to Manchester City, while the club’s attempt to sign Lamine Camara from Monaco failed before the transfer deadline.
Alonso will now have to work with the squad available to him as Chelsea prepare for one of their biggest tests of the early season.
Moises Caicedo is a doubt, while Jordan Henderson and Marco Palestra are unavailable.
Predicted Arsenal lineup
David Raya; Ben White, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori; Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Christos Tzolis; Kai Havertz.
The main question surrounds the centre of defence, with Ezri Konsa potentially coming into the starting lineup if Cristhian Mosquera is unable to recover.
Predicted Chelsea lineup
Emiliano Martinez; Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill; Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Jorrel Hato; Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer; Joao Pedro.
Chelsea are expected to use an attacking setup, with Palmer and Rogers providing creativity and support around Joao Pedro.
Arsenal vs Chelsea prediction
Arsenal enter the match as the favourites. Statistical projections give the Gunners a significantly better chance of winning than Chelsea, although the gap between the two sides is not enormous.
Arsenal’s strong defensive record could give them the edge, particularly at home. Chelsea, however, have enough attacking quality to cause problems and should not be underestimated.
The match is expected to be closely contested, but Arsenal’s home advantage and defensive organisation could ultimately prove decisive.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea.
The London derby promises to be an important early-season test for both managers. Arsenal will be looking to strengthen their credentials as Premier League title contenders, while Chelsea will be eager to demonstrate that Alonso’s new-look team can compete with the division’s leading sides.
