Arsenal and Chelsea meet at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday sitting third and fourth in the Premier League table, both unbeaten after two matches and looking to close the gap on perfect starters Manchester City sitting on the top.
It is the first genuine test of the season for either club, and an early marker for two teams many expect to be in the title conversation come May. Arsenal have not conceded a goal so far this season, while Chelsea’s attacking form has come at the cost of defensive control, epitomised by their 4-3 win over Brighton in which they led 3-0, were pulled back to 3-2, and had to survive an injury-time scare.
Arsenal’s deadline day was quiet by comparison, with Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri and record sale Gabriel Martinelli all departing without a like-for-like replacement arriving, while Chelsea’s own window ended with the surprise £125m sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City and a collapsed move for Monaco’s Lamine Camara.
Arsenal vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 6 September 2026
- Kick-off: 16:30 BST
- Venue: Emirates Stadium
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
- VAR: Darren England
- Last meeting: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (Premier League, 1 March 2026)
Team news
Arsenal
William Saliba remains a long-term absentee with a back injury, and Mikel Arteta says there is no firm timeline for his return. Bruno Guimaraes and Cristhian Mosquera both picked up knocks against Aston Villa and are being monitored, with a decision on both due after Saturday’s final training session. Declan Rice, also withdrawn late against Villa, has trained during the week and is expected to be available.
Chelsea
Moises Caicedo aggravated a previous injury in the win over Brighton and is a doubt, with Xabi Alonso saying a final decision would be made on Saturday. Jordan Henderson (wrist) and Marco Palestra remain out of contention, though Alonso said Henderson is “getting closer and closer to playing time.” Malo Gusto and Romeo Lavia are set to continue in midfield following Enzo Fernandez’s departure and the collapse of a proposed deal for Lamine Camara.
Form
Arsenal
Arsenal have won both of their Premier League matches without conceding, beating Coventry City 3-0 before edging Aston Villa 1-0 away. A third straight win to open the season would be only the second time in 21 years that Arsenal have managed it, following the 2022-23 campaign.
Chelsea
Chelsea have also won both of their opening matches, beating Fulham 3-2 before a thrilling 4-3 victory over Brighton in which they led 3-0, were pulled back to 3-2, and then held on. A win at Arsenal would take Chelsea’s winning run in all competitions to four games for the first time since Antonio Conte’s title-winning 2016-17 season.
Predicted lineups
Arsenal predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz
Chelsea predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Martinez; Lacroix, Colwill, Fofana; James, Gusto, Lavia, Hato; Rogers, Palmer; Pedro
How to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea?
The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Main Event.
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