Arsenal host Chelsea in crucial London derby for Premier League title bid

Arsenal will look to maintain their Premier League title momentum when they host struggling London rivals Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s side enter the contest fresh from a resounding 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby.

That result served as an emphatic statement of intent in their quest for a long-awaited league trophy.

Gunners aiming for consistency

Momentum is firmly with the hosts following their dominant display against Spurs.

Arteta will demand the same intensity, structure, and movement that saw his team dismantle their arch-rivals last weekend.

Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres were instrumental in that victory and will be expected to deliver a similar performance in front of the home crowd.

The Gunners have already faced the Blues three times this season, winning twice and drawing once across all competitions.

Chelsea seeking defensive answers

In contrast to their opponents, the visitors arrive in north London searching for stability under Liam Rosenior.

The Blues dropped points at home to relegation-threatened Burnley last weekend and recently squandered a two-goal lead against Leeds United.

Defensive frailties remain a primary concern, with the west London club keeping just one clean sheet in their last 11 league matches.

Wesley Fofana is suspended for the trip, forcing further changes to a backline that has struggled to find cohesion.

Tactical dilemmas for Rosenior

The Chelsea manager faces a significant selection headache regarding the positioning of Cole Palmer.

Recent decisions to deploy the England international wide to accommodate Enzo Fernandez centrally have notably limited Palmer’s influence.

History is also heavily weighted against the visitors, who have failed to beat Arsenal in their last 11 Premier League meetings.

With the hosts chasing the title and Chelsea struggling for form, Arteta’s men are firm favourites to extend that unbeaten run.