Crunch time has arrived for Arsenal, and if the Gunners have any chance of ending their winless streak in the Premier League against the Blues, this will be the game to do so. With Mourinho gone, and with a shaky Chelsea team just four points away from relegation spots, Arsene Wenger's side must make their advantage count and finally defeat their most hated opponent in front of a sellout crowd at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal's pace has slowed down a bit since the final days of 2015, but a victory against Chelsea could make them level with Leicester City at the top of the Premier League standings. On the other hand, Guus Hiddink's men can't afford to leave more points behind after drawing four matches out of the last six.
Arsenal
Wenger's men have the chance to redeem themselves after some sloppy performances against Chelsea, with the help of key performers such as Mesut Özil and Alexis Sánchez, who has been cleared to play after a four week absence. Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Santi Cazorla will be sidelined due to injury, but Francis Coquelin and new arrival Mohamed Elneny could provide Wenger with a number of options to finally win against the Blues.
One of the Gunners' driving forces could be their performances at Emirates Stadium, since they have not lost a single game out of their last nine home matches. Wenger's crew has won seven of those games, conceding only four goals in the process.
Arsene Wenger's record against Chelsea is shockingly bad. Can he turn things around on Sunday?
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Chelsea
The Blues' disappointing defense of the Premier League title has shown every awful aspect of their game, and even if they remain unbeaten under Guus Hiddink, Chelsea needs to step things up in order to save their season. Their previous game showed a glimpse of how their fans want them to look, fighting their way back from a two-goal disadvantage to end up drawing 3-3.
One of the key element of that game was Diego Costa, who's presence was doubtful at the beginning of the week, but a few workout sessions with the team's medical staff left him in top shape to face the Gunners. Hiddink's only absentee will be Radamel Falcao, who hasn't seen any minutes since the Mouringo era.
Chelsea has some shocking stats against Arsenal in their most recent Premier League showdowns.
Pre Match Stats. Arsenal vs Chelsea #CFC pic.twitter.com/Rpalo9Bq1T
— Chelseaempire (@darionjairam) January 22, 2016
Head to head
One of the most ancient rivalries in the Premier League has seen these teams face each other 164 times in all competitions, with Arsenal making the best out of their meetings with 62 wins and 48 draws. Chelsea's stats improved considerably under José Mourinho in the recent past, including their 2-0 win this season at Stamford Bridge.
One of the most interesting aspects of this game will be the men defending each team's goal, with Petr Cech facing his former team-mate and apprentice Thibaut Courtois. While the Belgian recently came back after a long absence due to injury, Cech has been one of the most crucial members for Arsenal this season, and their performance could prove decisive for their team's victory.
Where to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea on TV or online?
Fans in the U.K. can follow the outcome of this match on SKY GO Extra, Sky Sports 1/HD UK, Sky Go UK, BBC Radio 5 Live and NOW TV UK at 16:00 GMT. Meanwhile, those who live in the United States can tune in via Westwood One Sports, NBC Sports Live Extra, NBC Deportes En Vivo Extra, NBCSN and Telemundo at 11:00 EST. Finally, football fans living in Canada can tune in via Sportsnet World Now and Sportsnet World at 11:00 EST.
Live elsewhere? Check out our Arsenal vs Chelsea match page for further details to follow this match in your country.
*Please note that all live games, TV listings & online schedules are subject to change.
Arsenal vs Chelsea team sheets
Arsenal lineup: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Campbell, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud
Arsenal bench: Ospina, Chambers, Gibbs, Gabriel, Elneny, Chamberlain, Alexis
Chelsea lineup: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic; Willian, Fabregas, Oscar; Diego Costa
Chelsea bench: Begovic, Cahill, Baba Rahman, Loftus-Cheek, Traore, Hazard, Remy
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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