WHO: Arsenal vs Chelsea
What: Premier League
Where: Emirates Stadium, London
When: Sunday, March 1 at 4:30 pm (16:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream.
The last time Arsenal beat Chelsea three times in the same season was also the last time they won the Premier League in 2003-04.
And while one doesn’t necessarily lead to the other, Arsenal go into Sunday’s clash looking for a win to keep Manchester City at bay.
Arsenal, who have finished second in the last three seasons, have also struggled with the pressure of the title race in the current campaign, settling for back-to-back draws at Brentford and bottom side Wolves this month.
Last weekend, leaders Arsenal cruised to a 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, but a three-point deficit against Chelsea on Sunday leaves them in danger as City, five points behind with a game in hand, close the gap at the top.
Meanwhile, City visit a stubborn Leeds side who almost held them to a draw in November.
Fifth-placed Chelsea have not beaten Arsenal since 2021 and lost twice in their League Cup semi-final tie in January and February, but held Arsenal to a league draw in November despite playing most of the game with 10 men.
Arsenal have stumbled the last two times, hosting a club currently in the top six, sharing points with Liverpool and losing to Manchester United last month.
Avoiding the humiliation of losing three times in a season to their local rivals will boost Liam Rosenier, who has kept Chelsea unbeaten against all but Arsenal since taking charge last month.
Arteta says recent wins against Chelsea mean nothing
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is taking no comfort from his side’s good record against Chelsea and will be fully prepared to face their London rivals when the Premier League leaders meet on Sunday.
“We know the importance of the game and the team we have in front of us. As I always say, we have to prepare well to earn the right to win it,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
“It doesn’t matter what you did two weeks ago or two years ago because every game and every situation is different, players can change, the mentality of the team can be different. We are ready.”
Arteta praised Chelsea’s ability to respond to the game under Rosenier, who is yet to lose a league game as Chelsea manager.
“They can change throughout the game and they have a very comfortable manager to do that, so we are prepared for the possible situations that we may face and then we try to be better than them,” Arteta added.
‘Let’s go from game to game’
Asked if Arsenal could become the first English club to win the quadruple this season – including the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League – Arteta shrugged off the idea.
“Is it done? How hard is it,” he said.
“So let’s go game by game and try to earn the right to be in the last stage of every competition, and then we’ll see what happens.”
Rossinire’s eyes widened to fix Chelsea
Asked how he viewed his Chelsea future after a solid start that included four wins from six league games before disappointing draws with Leeds and Burnley, the Chelsea boss said patience was key to success.
“Sitting here in this chair, I want to be here as long as possible,” Rosenier told reporters Friday.
“I want to be the person – and not just me but the team, the staff, the ownership, the sporting director – I want to be a part of something that’s really successful for a long time. That’s why I signed up for this challenge.
“The reality of football is that you give yourself time to be successful. You have to show your quality every day, not just in games.
“Every day you have to be on top of the players in the way you develop them, the way you set up your sessions, the way you run your meetings.
“I think this is the end of the revolution for this club. I have been here for a long time and I hope I can bring the success the club deserves.”
head-to-head
The two London clubs first locked horns in 1907 – the Gunners were known as Woolwich Arsenal – and they have now played each other 214 times.
Arsenal have won 87 of those encounters, while Chelsea have won 66 and 61 have ended in draws.
The Gunners have dominated most of their recent matches and are unbeaten in eight Premier League matches against the Blues and 10 in all competitions.
Earlier this year, Arsenal beat Chelsea in both League Cup semi-final legs, winning 3-2 at Stamford Bridge and 1-0 at the Emirates.
Chelsea managed to hold the Gunners to a 1-1 draw in their last league match in November 2025.
Arsenal team news
Versatile midfielder Michael Merino could miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to address a stress fracture in his foot.
Defender Ben White is a doubt after missing the north London derby with a knock.
Winger Bukayo Saka limped off in the win over Tottenham but is expected to be declared fit to face Chelsea.
Kai Havertz could be in line to face his former club, but Arsenal will want to rush his comeback from a hamstring injury.
Predicted Starting XI:
Raya (Goalkeeper); Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; jubimendi, rice; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Gyokeres
Chelsea team news
Jamie Gittens and Levi Colville are both out with injuries, while Wesley Fofana is suspended after receiving a red card against Burnley.
Estevao and Marc Cucurella both missed the Burnley game with hamstring problems and remain doubtful for this match.
Midfielder Dario Essugo is available again as he recovers from injury.
Predicted Starting XI:
Sanchez (goalkeeper); James, Tosin, Chalobah, Gusto; Santos, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Joao Pedro
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