Arsenal and Chelsea both have the chance to give their
set of fans an early Christmas present, as either side
can top the Premier League table with a win and three
points.


This will be no easy task for the side situated in north
London, as Wenger’s men have never beaten a
Mourinho-led Chelsea, starting back in 2004, when ‘The
Special One’ was appointed at Stamford Bridge for his
first stint at the club. The Blues have won five and
drawn four against Arsenal under the Portuguese
manager.

Arsenal will have to do without Jack Wilshere in
midfield, as he begins his two-match ban after a spout
of indiscretion shown to fans in the game against
Manchester City last weekend, but they will hope to
have Laurent Koscielny fit to play, after he sustained a
nasty gash in the game at the Etihad.
Neither side come into this match in great form, as
Arsenal were the subject of a 6-3 demolition by
Manchester City in their game prior to this one. Chelsea
were also dealt a confidence-thrashing blow in
midweek as they were eliminated from the quarter-
final of the Capital One Cup in extra-time.
However, both sides have been given plenty of recovery
time in preparation for a Monday night game which is
billed to be a Christmas cracker.


KICK-OFF: Monday, 8pm.


PAST THREE MEETINGS:
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 2 (Azpilicueta, Mata), Capital One
Cup, October 2013.
Chelsea 2 (Mata, Lampard (pen)) Arsenal 1 (Walcott),
Premier League, January 2013.
Arsenal 1 (Gervinho) Chelsea 2 (Torres, Mata), Premier
League, September 2012.


HEAD TO HEAD:
Arsenal wins: 71
Draws: 52
Chelsea wins: 57


STATS:
Arsenal:
Arsenal have scored first in their last 10 home
matches.
The Gunners have conceded as many goals in their last
2 Premier League games (7) as they had in the
previous 13.
Arsenal have not gone three Premier League fixtures
without a win since January 2013; the third of those
games was against Chelsea.
Chelsea:
Chelsea have scored at least twice in each of their last
six Premier League games (16 goals in total).
Jose Mourinho has never lost against Arsene Wenger as
an opposition manager. (W5 D4 L0)
Juan Mata has scored in each of his four starts against
Arsenal in all competitions for Chelsea.


ODDS:
Arsenal to win: 2.25
Draw: 3.25
Chelsea to win: 3.2

www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-arsenal-v-chelsea-match-preview-9018230.html



who do u think would win this? I'd rather they draw. lose two points each. gud for a red blood!

united 4 life

Chelsea have already won at the Emirates this season, in a
League Cup tie in October. That took to nine the sequence
of matches in which Arsene Wenger has tried and failed to
beat Jose Mourinho and meant that Chelsea, under a
giddying variety of managers, have lost only twice in their
last 11 visits to Arsenal.
If Arsenal were to lose, it would be a third consecutive loss
for the first time since they were beaten by Barcelona,
Tottenham and Wigan in quick succession in the spring of
2010.


But Chelsea look beatable. Mourinho himself has warned
that they may win nothing this season, and the League Cup
defeat at a spirited but limited Sunderland has raised
further question marks - particularly away from home
where they have lost four of their last six matches in all
competitions.
Scoring goals is one of their more obvious difficulties. Prior
to the weekend, there were 11 players who have scored
more Premier League goals than Chelsea's top scorer, who
is Eden Hazard with six league strikes. The Blues' most
prolific scorer in the Premier League, Romelu Lukaku, is
playing on loan for Everton.


It's possible that both managers might think a point is a
decent outcome, but such is the lingering whiff of antipathy
between them, it's possible that both will strain every sinew
to inflict a satisfying blow to the other. If they do, it'll be
well worth watching.


MATCH FACTS


Head-to-head
Chelsea have won the three most recent encounters,
including a 2-0 away win in the fourth round of the League
Cup on 29 October.
Arsene Wenger has never won against Jose Mourinho as
an opposition manager. His record is four draws and five
defeats in nine league and cup game


Arsenal


In the Gunners' 6-3 defeat at Manchester City, nine of the
13 shots on target resulted in goals.
That result was their heaviest league loss since the 8-2
thrashing at Manchester United in August 2011.
They conceded as many goals at the Etihad Stadium as in
their previous 11 league games.
Arsenal are one shy of 1300 Premier League points under
Arsene Wenger.


Chelsea


Chelsea have had 11 different managers (excluding
short-term caretakers) since Arsene Wenger was appointed,
and 12 in total following Jose Mourinho's return for a
second spell in charge.
In the last six meetings between the sides, Wenger has
faced five different Chelsea managers.
The Blues have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11
Premier League matches.
Eden Hazard has registered 15 Premier League assists
since the start of last season. Prior to the latest round of
matches, only Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard have
matched that tally.
No striker has scored an away league goal for Chelsea in
2013. Fernando Torres was the last centre forward to net on
the road for the Blues, doing so in a 3-1 win at Sunderland
on 8 December 2012.


source: bbc/football

Evrybody and hin own opinion ...arsenal all d way

Pls,

Follow the matchdAy thread here;

https://www.nairaland.com/1547704/arsenal-vs-chelsea-monday-23rd