Preview: Chelsea v. Arsenal

This can't be as difficult as Partizan Belgrade, right? Pic via Sky Sports.

Stamford Bridge, London

Sunday, October 3

16:00 BST, 11:00 a.m. EDT

• Referee: Mike Dean
• This Match, Last Year: Chelsea 2 - 0 Arsenal
• All-Time in All Competitions: 69 Arsenal wins, 53 Chelsea wins, 51 draws
• Arsenal's Recent Form: D-W-W-W-D-L
• Chelsea's Recent Form: W-W-W-W-W-L

Predicted Line-Up

guesses in red

Fabianski
Sagna - Koscielny - Squillaci - Clichy
Song - Wilshere
Rosicky - Nasri - Arshavin
Chamakh

Subs from: Szczesny, Djourou, Denilson, Eboue, Diaby, Vela, Lansbury

Out: Almunia (elbow), Fabregas (hamstring), Gibbs (calf), Vermaelen (Achilles), Walcott (ankle), Van Persie (ankle), Bendtner (groin), Ramsey (broken leg), Frimpong (knee)

Arsenal News and Notes

• Cesc Fabregas, Manuel Almunia, Kieran Gibbs, and Thomas Vermaelen are all out. That's just awful news.
• Abou Diaby will return and is "80% likely" to start. His ankle problem kept him from making the trip to Belgrade this week.
• Nicklas Bendtner will return to training after the upcoming international break.
• Arsenal have dropped points in consecutive league fixtures for the first time since going four matches without a win towards the end of last season.
• Arsenal lost consecutive league matches four times last season.
• Since winning at Stamford Bridge in November of 2008, Arsenal has not won a match against Chelsea and Manchester United, in nine tries.
• Arsenal have not kept a clean sheet away from home since a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in January, and have not kept a clean sheet away from home in a winning effort since a 2-0 win at Bolton, also in January.

Chelsea News and Notes

• Chelsea will be without Frank Lampard for two more weeks after a hernia operation.
• Yossi Benayoun has traveled to Belgrade to receive supplemental treatment on his injured calf.
• The Blues will also be without Salomon Kalou with a thigh injury.
• Manager Carlos Ancelotti will likely be with the team on Sunday, despite the unfortunate passing of his father this week.
• Chelsea have not dropped points in consecutive league fixtures since back-to-back draws against West Ham United and Birmingham City last December.
• Before their Champions League win on Tuesday, Chelsea had lost consecutive matches across all competitions for the first time since falling to Inter Milan then Manchester City in February.
• Chelsea have not lost consecutive league fixtures in four years. They lost the final two fixtures of the 2005/06 season, against Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers. They had already won the league by then anyway.

Match Facts

• Chelsea took all six points from Arsenal last year. Arsenal did not score a goal in the process, losing 3-0 at home in November and 2-0 at the Bridge in February.
• All-time in league fixtures played at Chelsea, both sides have won 24 times with 25 draws.
• In the Premier League era, no away team has won at Stamford Bridge more than Arsenal. The Gunners have won six times since 1992.
• Didier Drogba has scored 12 goals in this last 10 competitive matches against Arsenal. He had four goals last year in two matches.
• Arsenal won this fixture two years ago 2-1, thanks to a brace from Robin van Persie, who was hurt for this fixture last year and is hurt again this year.

The Referee

• The referee is Mike Dean.
• Arsenal dropped points in all four matches Dean worked for them last year: a 2-1 loss at Old Trafford, a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor in Burnley, a 2-0 loss in this exact fixture, and a 0-0 draw with Manchester City at the Emirates.
• Dean earlier this year worked Chelsea's 6-0 win at Wigan Atheltic. Last year, in addition to their home win over Arsenal, Dean worked Chelsea's 2-1 win at Stoke, 1-1 draw at West Ham, 2-0 FA Cup win at Preston, 4-2 loss at home to Manchester City, and 2-1 win at Old Trafford.

Around the League

• Saturday: Wigan Athletic v. Wolverhampton Wanderers; DW Stadium, Wigan
• Saturday: Birmingham City v. Everton; St. Andrew's, Birmingham
• Saturday: Stoke City v. Blackburn Rovers; Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
• Saturday: Sunderland v. Manchester United; Stadium of Light, Sunderland
• Saturday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Aston Villa; White Hart Lane, London
• Saturday: West Bromwich Albion v. Bolton Wanderers; The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
• Saturday: West Ham United v. Fulham; Boleyn Ground, London
• Sunday: Manchester City v. Newcastle United; City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester
• Sunday: Liverpool v. Blackpool; Anfield, Liverpool