**Date:** Sunday 1st March 2026
**Venue**: Emirates Stadium
**Kick-off:** 16:30 GMT
Today’s late game sees us make the short trip to the Emirates Stadium to face action man and his simulation soldiers, aka Arsenal.
Way back in Arteta’s second match as Arsenal boss in December 2019, we actually pulled off a win at the Emirates, leaving with a cheeky 2-1 victory. Ah, those were the days! Flash forward and it feels like Arsenal now treat us like their favourite charity. We’ve managed one win in our last 15 attempts against them, which, if you ask me, is downright unsporting. And right now, it’s not just Chelsea fans hoping for an Arsenal slip-up; the entire Premier League is doing a collective rain dance (I’d assume given the amount we’ve had) in the hope the insufferable, entitled, pearl-clutchers stumble. So, if you hear a groan rippling through the country this afternoon, it’s because Chelsea fans aren’t suffering alone.
Anyone expecting Chelsea to pull off a win though? Give your head a wobble! Our recent results against Arsenal look about as promising as last week’s leftovers, and even after Rosenior had all the time in the world to prep for Burnley – who are clinging to the Premier League by their fingernails by the way – he gave the lads a holiday and forgot to tell them the holiday was over last weekend. We did nick the lead, only to clutch onto it with as much grace as a Royal clinging to their title. That’s 19 precious points thrown away from winning positions and at this rate, we’re giving away points faster than a dodgy supermarket promotion!
As for our discipline, Chelsea have bagged six Premier League red cards this season – we’re top of the charts for self-destruction, smashing our own club record! We’re no strangers to a spot of bother at Arsenal either, having received seven reds against them over the years. So, if you fancy a game of ‘Guess the Next Villain’, you’re in luck – there’s bound to be an early bath for someone today.
After Fofana’s red card against Burnley, laughing boy might not be chuckling if he’s watching today. Eze loves nothing more than scoring in a London derby and, let’s be honest, our defence is about as reliable as a paper umbrella. With Tosin set to take over Fofana’s clown shoes, expect plenty of entertainment – just maybe not for us.
We’ve already had three cracks at Arsenal this season and our record is as empty as the Emirates European trophy cabinet. It’s not a record I expect us to change today.
**MANAGER’S VIEWS**
Going into today’s game, Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, says _“The preparation gives you confidence and the right emotional state to get to the game with the belief and the conviction that you’re going to win it, and after that, you have to earn the right to do it. \[Chelsea\] can change throughout the game. They have the players and they have a manager who is very comfortable doing that – so we’re prepared, we’re going to be prepared for the possible scenarios that we can face throughout the game and try to do better than them._
_We know the importance of the game, and we know the team we’re going to have in front of us. We just have to prepare in the best way to have the right to win it. As I always say, there’s nothing else you can do. What we did two weeks or two years ago is irrelevant. Every game and context is different, because the players might change, the mood of the teams can be in a different state, or what is at stake is different, and we’re prepared.”_
Liam Rosenior, meanwhile, says “_Arsenal are a very good team, and that is why they are in the situation they are in at the moment. They are an incredibly well-coached team in every aspect of the game. Whether they compress really high, they have compact shape in the low blocks, they are fantastic defensively, obviously set-plays, they are well-coached and they play very good football as well. They are a very good team and that is why they are in the situation they are in at the moment. It is my job and the players’ job to try to find that weakness and try to enjoy what is going to be a really, really big game on Sunday.”_
**SQUAD NEWS**
For Arsenal, Saka is expected to be fit despite a scare against Sp\*rs and Kai Havertz could return. Ben White (knock) is a doubt, and Max Dowman is not expected to feature.
For Chelsea, Levi Colwill (ACL), Jamie Gittens (thigh), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Dario Essugo (unspecified), Marc Cucurella (hamstring) and Filip Jorgensen all remain out through injury. Estevao Willian (thigh) has also joined the injury list. Mykhaylo Mudryk remains suspended and is joined by Fofana, who seemed more amused than the rest of us after his sending off against Burnley.
**TEAMS**
ARSENAL (Possible line-up): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez; James, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Gusto; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro
**LAST SEASON**
Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (16 March 2025)
**CURRENT FORM (PL)**
ARSENAL: LWWDDW
CHELSEA: WWWWDD
**OTHER STUFF**
* Arsenal have won their last three home league games against Chelsea
* Chelsea are without a win in their last eight Premier League games against Arsenal
* Arsenal have lost just one of their last 25 Premier League London derbies
* Chelsea have dropped an embarrassing 19 points from winning positions so far this season
* Arsenal have conceded 9 goals this year, 4 of these have come from defensive errors
**PREDICTION**
[Sportsmole](Preview: Arsenal vs Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups - Sports Mole): Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea