ARSENAL FACE CHELSEA TEST AS BOTH SIDES CHASE THIRD STRAIGHT WIN

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By: Fasasi Hammad

Defending Premier League champions Arsenal will host London rivals Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in what is expected to be the first heavyweight clash of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Both teams have won their opening two league matches and will be aiming to maintain their perfect starts when they meet in North London.

Arsenal currently sit third in the league table with six points, with their position determined by goal difference.

The Gunners began their title defence with a 3-0 victory over newly promoted Coventry City before recording a 1-0 away win against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

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The victory over Villa also marked Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s 250th Premier League match.

Sunday’s encounter will be the first managerial meeting between Arteta and Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, who took charge of the Blues following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea have also collected six points from their opening two fixtures, scoring seven goals.

The Blues opened their campaign with a 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage before defeating Brighton 4-3 at Stamford Bridge.

Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer have each scored twice for Chelsea, making them key attacking threats ahead of Sunday’s London derby.

Arsenal have enjoyed a strong record against Chelsea at the Emirates in recent years, winning their last six home meetings with the Blues.

During that run, Arsenal have scored 15 goals and conceded just three.