Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Sunday 3 October
Kick-off: 1600 BST
After our Champions League win over Marseille midweek, it’s back to the bread and butter of the Premier League today and after our defeat at Eastlands last time out, we’ll be looking to get back to winning ways if we’re going to answer the question of whether or not we can stand up to opposition at the top end of the table.
After their defeat to West Brom, Arsenal have their own questions to answer, not least of all, whether they can cope with Didier Drogba who’s been a constant thorn in their side over the years.
MANAGERS’ VIEWS
With Carlo Ancelotti spending time with his family following his father’s death this week, it’s up to Ray Wilkins to do all the talking ahead of today’s game and Chelsea’s assistant manager says “This game comes on the back of a victory for both sides in Europe. We enjoy these games and the players enjoy them immensely. It was an incredible weekend and we felt we were quite fortunate to be three points in front at the end of it. But you have to give credit to teams like West Brom and Bolton. These teams fight for everything.”
Arsene Wenger meanwhile, seems pretty confident of a result today and isn’t shy to say it, insisting “I believe we have enough strength to win the game and that is what we want to do. If we turn up with a great performance – and I am convinced we will – we will beat them. Football is down to the performance on the day. What is important is: have we the potential to beat Chelsea – I say yes. Are Chelsea a good team? I say yes, but we can beat a good team. I don’t think it is a decisive game, but it is a good indicator about the strengths in the Premier League.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, Benayoun (calf), Kalou (thigh) and Frank Lampard (groin) are all injured and Jose Bosingwa (knee) needs games before he’s ready for a return to the first team. Didier Drogba returns following his Champions League suspension.
For Arsenal, Fabregas (hamstring), Gibbs (calf), Almunia (elbow), Bendtner (groin), Frimpong (knee), Ramsey (broken leg), Vermaelen (Achilles), Van Persie and Walcott (both ankle) are all injured, whilst Diaby (ankle) should be fit.
TEAMS
CHELSEA (from): Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Essien, Anelka, Borini, Kakuta, Malouda, Ferreira, Bruma, Zhirkov, Sturridge, Turnbull, Van Aanholt, McEachran, Drogba.
ARSENAL (from): Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Nasri, Song, Wilshere, Rosicky, Arshavin, Chamakh, Szczesny, Denilson, Diaby, Eboue, Lansbury, Djourou, Vela.
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal (February 7th 2010)
REFEREE
Mike Dean
PREDICTION
As usual, on paper this one looks a sure result for us. We’ve only lost 2 of our previous 17 against Arsenal in all competitions, winning all of the last 4 against them. We’ve also score 9 goals against them in our last three meetings, conceding just one. We’ve scored 27 goals in our last five top-flight games at home and last week’s 1-0 defeat to City, was the first time we’ve failed to score in 25 Premier League games. Arsenal meanwhile haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last ten away in the league but our defenders should watch out for Andrey Arshavin, who’s scored 3 in his last 5 games. Taking this one on current form rather than anything that’s gone before, we both come into it off the back of Premier League defeats and Champions League wins, so you’d have to think we’d be happy with a point today.
Blue is the colour
