Arsenal and Chelsea meet at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (September 6) with both sides putting their perfect starts to the 2026/27 Premier League season on the line.
Arsenal have collected six points from two matches, while Chelsea have also won their opening two games and are on the same number of points.
The Gunners arrive with the stronger defensive record. Arsenal have kept three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions and defeated Aston Villa 1-0 in their previous league outing. Chelsea, meanwhile, have been considerably more explosive going forward, scoring 12 goals across their first two Premier League matches, including a thrilling 4-3 victory over Brighton.
Arsenal vs Chelsea Lineups, Team News
The game also brings the first Premier League meeting between Mikel Arteta
and Xabi Alonso. The two managers have known each other since their youth days in Spain, adding another layer to an already significant London derby. The Gunners, as defending champions, are again the Premier League favourites this season while the Blues have been tipped to be among the top challengers.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup
David Raya; Ben White, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel MagalhÃes, Riccardo Calafiori; Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Christos Tzolis; Kai Havertz.
William Saliba remains unavailable, while Jurrien Timber has returned to training. Cristhian Mosquera and Bruno GuimarÃes are doubts, although Rice is expected to be fit after his knock against Aston Villa.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup
Robert Sánchez; Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana; Reece James, Malo Gusto, Romeo Lavia, Jorrel Hato; Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer; JoÃo Pedro.
Moises Caicedo is a doubt after picking up a knock, while Jordan Henderson and Marco Palestra are unavailable.
Arsenal vs Chelsea Prediction
The key battle could be Arsenal's disciplined defence against Chelsea's aggressive attack. Chelsea have shown their ability to score quickly, while Arsenal's defensive structure has been one of the strongest aspects of their opening weeks.
Arsenal also have a strong recent record against Chelsea, winning the last three meetings in all competitions. The Gunners won 2-1 in the most recent Premier League meeting in March 2026. Arsenal's defensive stability and home advantage could prove decisive in what should be a closely contested derby.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
