Barclays Premier League
Venue: Stamford Bridge Date: Sunday, 7 February 2010 Kick-off: 1600 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, live on Sky Sports 1 & highlights on Match of the Day 2
TEAM NEWS
**Deposed England captain John Terry will lead Chelsea against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.**Ashley Cole has fully recovered from an ankle problem and is poised to start against his former club, while John Mikel Obi is also available.
Arsenal forward Eduardo has failed to recover from the hamstring strain he sustained at Aston Villa last week.
Midfielder Abou Diaby could return from the calf injury he suffered a fortnight ago.
Chelsea
Suspended: None Doubtful: None
Injured: Belletti (calf), Bosingwa & Essien (both knee)
Arsenal
Suspended: None Doubtful: Diaby (calf)
Injured: Djourou & Vela (both knee), Eduardo (hamstring), Gibbs (foot), Merida & Van Persie (both ankle)
MATCH PREVIEW
The question of leadership has become a recurring theme for Chelsea in the last week or so, and now it is the turn of Arsenal to do the interrogating.
“Every game now is very, very important. Every game can decide the future of the season”
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti
A Chelsea win would ensure they end the weekend where they started it, on top of the table. Defeat could let in Manchester United and allow Arsenal to recover some of the ground they have lost after only taking a point from their last two games.
Arsenal had put together a 10-match unbeaten run prior to last week’s defeat by United, steadily eroding the 11-point advantage Chelsea enjoyed after winning at the Emirates Stadium in November.
Since that game, Chelsea’s frailties, particularly from set-pieces, have too often been exposed when playing away. During the 1-1 draw at Hull in midweek they bore the look of a team distracted by the media attention on embattled leader John Terry, who lost the England captaincy on Friday following revelations about his private life.
One affair in which anyone at Chelsea has been cleared of wrongdoing is that of illegally inducing teenage forward Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with Lens when he moved to Stamford Bridge in 2007. Thursday’s decision means that Chelsea’s transfer ban has been lifted. Whether they will be bolstering a championship-winning squad in the summer is yet to be answered.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• The Gunners have only won two of their last 15 competitive games against Chelsea (W2, D5, L8).
• The last four meetings between these clubs have been won by the away side - Chelsea on three occasions, and Arsenal once.
• Chelsea have the best head-to-head record of the Big Four clubs this season, winning all three league matches without conceding a goal. Arsenal have the worst head-to-head record, losing three of their four matches and conceding nine goals.
• Didier Drogba has scored 10 goals in his last nine matches against Arsenal in all competitions.
606: DEBATE
Have your say on this match
Chelsea
• Carlo Ancelotti’s side are unbeaten in their last 12 matches, including nine league games (W5, D4).
• They are unbeaten in 23 successive home league matches since losing 2-1 to Arsenal on 30 November 2008.
• The Blues have kept 11 clean sheets this season, more than any other side in the division.
• Chelsea have conceded 15 of their 20 league goals this season from set-pieces.
• John Obi Mikel is poised to make his 100th Premier League appearance for Chelsea.
Arsenal
• The Gunners lost for the first time in 11 league matches when beaten 3-1 by Manchester United last Sunday.
• They are the Premier League’s leading scorers with 60 goals in 24 matches.
• Arsene Wenger needs one win to register 300 as a Premier League manager. He will become the second manager to reach this milestone after Sir Alex Ferguson.
• William Gallas will make his 100th Premier League appearance for Arsenal. He played 225 games for Chelsea from 2001 to 2006.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Chelsea
Drogba: 20 goals (15 league); Lampard: 13 goals (10 league)
Arsenal
Fabregas: 14 goals (11 league);
Arshavin & van Persie: 8 goals (7 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistant referees: Simon Beck & Richard West
Fourth official: Peter Walton
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
**Chelsea **(D1-1 v Hull, a): Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Zhirkov
(A Cole 81), Ballack (J Cole 71), Deco, Lampard, Anelka (Sturridge 81), Malouda, Drogba. Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Kalou, Alex.
**Arsenal **(L1-3 v Manchester United, h): Almunia; Sagna (Eboue 72), Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Song, Denilson (Walcott 61), Rosicky (Bendtner 72), Arshavin, Nasri. Subs not used: Fabianski, Silvestre, Traore, Ramsey.
MOST RECENT MEETING
Arsenal 0-3 Chelsea (29 November 2009)
Chelsea scorers: Drogba 41, 86, Vermaelen (og) 45