Chelsea vs Arsenal. Premier League.
Stamford BridgeAttendance41,490.
Saturday 4 February 2017 11:46, UK
Chelsea host Arsenal in a titanic Premier League clash on Saturday lunchtime, which you can watch live on Sky Sports 1.
Chelsea extended their lead at top of the league to nine points following the midweek games, where they drew with Liverpool while Arsenal, who are 10 points off Chelsea, surprisingly lost 2-1 to Watford.
The Blues have won 15 of their last 17 Premier League games (D1 L1) but Antonio Conte's men have struggled against top-four rivals this season - winning only one of their five fixtures.
Their only three league defeats this season have come against Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal, who completely outclassed Chelsea in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium in September, picking up a comprehensive 3-0 victory.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be in the stands for this important encounter.
The 67-year-old Gunners boss is currently serving a four-match touchline suspension after pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor in the 2-1 victory over Burnley last month. The Frenchman has served two matches of his ban so far.
Chelsea have no injury concerns ahead of Arsenal's visit.
Conte is unlikely to make many changes from the team which started Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Liverpool, although Pedro and Cesc Fabregas could be promoted from the bench.
Branislav Ivanovic's nine-year stay with Chelsea ended earlier this week when he moved to Zenit St Petersburg.
Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Olivier Giroud.
With midfielder Aaron Ramsey (calf) definitely out, manager Wenger will hope Oxlade-Chamberlain can overcome a slight knee problem to take the Welshman's place alongside Francis Coquelin.
Giroud also took a knock in Tuesday's defeat to Watford but is expected to be fit, while Danny Welbeck should return to the squad after being rested. Santi Cazorla (Achilles) and Granit Xhaka (suspended) are both out.
This is one of the biggest Premier League games of the season on Sky Sports - and there are more ways than ever to follow the action from Stamford Bridge.
You can watch the game live on Sky Sports 1 HD, with our TV build-up kicking-off at 11.30am where Thierry Henry, Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Souness will join host Simon Thomas in the studio and Gary Neville is on co-commentary duty alongside Martin Tyler.
There is a whole range of options to complement and enhance your viewing experience with Sky Sports. You can watch the game on the move with Sky Go or follow our live match blog, where Sky Sports customers will be able to watch all the major incidents via our expanded mobile clips service.
Chelsea's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in September was their heaviest against them since April 1997 (also 3-0). They were previously unbeaten in nine Premier League games against Arsenal (W6 D3).
Arsenal have not done the double over Chelsea in the same season since 2003/04 - the season in which they last won the Premier League.
The last Chelsea manager to fail to win either of his first two league games against the Gunners was Jose Mourinho in 2004/05, while the last Chelsea boss to lose both was Glenn Hoddle in 1993/94.
Wenger has lost his last four league games at Stamford Bridge. The only away ground where he's lost more in succession is Old Trafford (2009-2013).
The 3-0 loss to Arsenal in September was Conte's heaviest league defeat since October 2010 when he was manager of Siena (0-3 vs Empoli).
Arsenal scored more goals in the first half against Chelsea in their last Premier League meeting than they had in their previous nine clashes with the Blues.
The Gunners have had three players sent off in their last three Premier League games at Stamford Bridge (Gabriel, Santi Cazorla and Kieran Gibbs).
Theo Walcott was the last Arsenal player to score at Stamford Bridge, in January 2013 in a 2-1 loss. He also scored in Arsenal's last Premier League win there, 5-3 in October 2011.
Diego Costa has scored in two of his four league games against Arsenal and has been booked in the other two.
The Gunners have won three of their four Premier League London derbies this season (W3 D1 L0) - this after winning just one of their eight in 2015-16 (W1 D4 L3). They are the only team still unbeaten in London derbies this season.
Chelsea have won eight successive Premier League home games - their best run in the competition since a sequence of 10 wins that ended in January 2015. The aggregate score in these eight games is 24-3 in Chelsea's favour.
Arsenal have lost as many of their last eight Premier League games as they did in their previous 30 in the competition (3).
Arsenal were shocking on Tuesday against Watford and they won't be relishing this trip to Stamford Bridge. It's a must-win game for Arsenal after their defeat to the Hornets, and they have got to go for it against the best team in the country. That will play into Chelsea's hands.
I just can't make a case for Arsenal here. Chelsea are running away with the league and I think they'll claim a comprehensive victory.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (14/1 with Sky Bet)
Sky Bet make Chelsea their 10/11 favourites with Arsenal drifting out to 29/10, while the draw is on offer at 5/2.
Diego Costa and Alexis Sanchez both to score features among the wide range of Price Boosts on the game and has been enhanced from 5/1 to 7/1.
It's 10/1 for Costa to score a header, while following the Chelsea striker's slip-up from 12 yards at Anfield in midweek, punters can get 12/1 for a penalty to be missed in this one.
