Share<\/a><\/p>\n 44 min <\/strong>Chalobah has a burgeoning shiner, which he displays to the referee when he gets to his feet.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 43 min <\/strong>\u201cThis,\u201d says Justin Kavanagh, \u201cis Sunday league stuff (with no discernible midfield), played on a manicured pitch with a professional ref, who is, so far, its most impressive participant.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 42 min <\/strong>A few Chelsea<\/a> fans wanted a red card for Hincapie but it was reckless rather than malicious. While Chalobah receives treatment, Anthony Taylor has a long chat with the Chelsea captain Reece James and a few other players. So far he has handled the game really well in the circumstnaces.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 41 min <\/strong>Chalobah is caught by a stray elbow from Hincapie, who is booked. This is a disgusting game of football, utterly vile.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 39 min <\/strong>Chelsea\u2019s tackling machine has malfunctioned at a crucial moment in ah huge game. He can\u2019t really have any complaints.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Caicedo is sent off!<\/p>\n 38 min <\/strong>He tried to nick the ball off Merino, missed and plunged his studs into Merino\u2019s shin. The more you look at it, the worse it gets.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 36 min <\/strong>Caicedo has been booked by Anthony Taylor \u2013 but VAR have recommended a video review<\/strong>.<\/p>\n That is a bad challenge from Moises Caicedo. Photograph: Matthew Childs\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.09 EST<\/p>\n 35 min <\/strong>A very poor tackle from Caicedo on Merino is being checked by VAR<\/strong> for a potential red card.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.08 EST<\/p>\n 33 min <\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m not watching but I\u2019ll take your word for it about the quality so far, Rob,\u201d says Simon McMahon. \u201cAre they playing with a pink ball?\u201d<\/p>\n No that\u2019s in the Ashes. Anyone know when that starts btw?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32 min <\/strong>Estevao leads a Chelsea<\/a> break and plays the ball back to Enzo Fernandez, whose shot from 20 yards is straight at Raya. Nicely struck but too straight.<\/p>\n Chelsea have carried the greater threat so far.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 30 min <\/strong>Chelsea have chance to change that when Joao Pedro nicks the ball off Hincapie on the edge of the D, but he delays and then overhits a pass to Enzo Fernandez.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.01 EST<\/p>\n 29 min <\/strong>This is rubbish. The only shot on target so far is that Saka shot in the 13th minute, and that would have been ruled out for offside had he scored.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.59 EST<\/p>\n 27 min <\/strong>James nicks the ball off Calafiori, who pulls him back and is booked.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 26 min <\/strong>This is not a great advert for the Premier League<\/a>. Yet.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 22 min <\/strong>It\u2019s still very scruffy. Arsenal<\/a> are dominating possession but Chelsea have looked more threatening in transition.<\/p>\n Talking of which, Joao Pedro lobs a good pass to Enzo Fernandez, who is waiting for the ball to drop on the edge of the area when Timber makes an important challenge.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 19 min <\/strong>Estevao tries to make amends with a curler from distance. Goalkick to Arsenal<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 18 min: Chance for Chelsea! <\/strong>Estevao was the first clear chance, blootering into orbit from 12 yards when a low cross from Joao Pedro is only half cleared by Mosquera.<\/p>\n The best chance of the game for the young Brazilian. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.53 EST<\/p>\n 16 min <\/strong>Estevao\u2019s low ball into the box almost breaks for Neto, who is about to shoot from six yards when Rice stretches to make a terrific challenge.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 13 min <\/strong>Rice\u2019s long throw is half cleared to Eze on the edge of the area. He plays a good pass to Saka, whose right-foot drive is kicked away by Sanchez. Looks like Saka was offside so any goal wouldn\u2019t have counted.<\/p>\n Chelsea break and Mosquera is booked for a foul on Joao Pedro.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.00 EST<\/p>\n 11 min <\/strong>In a shocking development, Marc Cucurella is booked for a foul on Bukayo Saka.<\/p>\n This game is muck, a kicking match with the odd bit of football.<\/p>\n How unlike Marc Cucurella to foul his opponent. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.50 EST<\/p>\n 8 min <\/strong>Timber goes over after a challenge from Caicedo. The referee gives a throw-in to Chelsea<\/a>, to the distaste of Mikel Arteta. It\u2019s been a niggly start to the game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.39 EST<\/p>\n 5 min<\/strong> Zubimendi is booked for a cynical foul on James.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 5 min <\/strong>All a bit stop-start for now, with another stoppage when Rice is penalised for a foul on Caicedo.<\/p>\n Caicedo then shoves Merino (I think) out of his way off the ball.<\/p>\n Moises Caicedo has a frank exchange of views with Mikel Merino. Photograph: David Klein\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.41 EST<\/p>\n 3 min <\/strong>Cucurella waves his hands angrily after being penalised for a robust challenge on Saka.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 1 min <\/strong>And they\u2019re off, Arsenal<\/a> kicking from left to right as we watch.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A reminder of the teams before they take the field<\/strong><\/p>\n Chelsea (4-1-2-3ish)<\/strong> Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo; James, Enzo; Estevao, Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto.<\/p>\n Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Tosin, Badiashile, Andrey Santos, Palmer, Gittens, Garnacho, Delap.<\/p>\n Arsenal (4-1-2-3ish)<\/strong> Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori; Zubimendi; Eze, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli.<\/p>\n Subs: Arrizabalaga, Lewis-Skelly, White, Odegaard, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Madueke, Gyokeres, Jesus.<\/p>\n Referee <\/strong>Anthony Taylor.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The updated Premier League<\/a> table<\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Today\u2019s Premier League<\/a> results<\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a> Mikel Arteta is confident the best is to come from Declan Rice<\/strong> as Arsenal<\/a> prepare for their top-of-the-table showdown at Chelsea.<\/p>\n The England midfielder was outstanding in Arsenal\u2019s victories against Tottenham<\/a> and Bayern Munich over the past week and will face the club where he spent seven years before being released aged 14. Arsenal lead second-placed Chelsea by six points and Arteta has not lost at Stamford Bridge in six visits as a manager.<\/p>\n Arteta signed Rice from West Ham<\/a> in 2023 and said even he had been surprised by the 26-year-old\u2019s progression<\/a> since the \u00a3105m move. He was asked whether he thought Rice had reached his peak.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably yes, a year or two ago, yes,\u201d Arteta said. \u201cBut now being with him every single day and understanding and connecting with him in the way that I\u2019ve done, we\u2019re going to get more. Because he wants more and he\u2019s going to get more. The team knows him better, his role is growing around the team, the impact that he has on the team is huge and we\u2019ll find ways to make it even better.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a> The worst way for Chelsea to respond to their demolition of Barcelona<\/a><\/strong> would be to believe the hype. The problem is that emotions in football swing from one extreme to another, as the people running things at Stamford Bridge have quickly come to appreciate.<\/p>\n They have faced plenty of ridicule for their alternative approach since buying the club<\/a> from Roman Abramovich three years ago, so perhaps they are entitled to be a little sceptical now that Chelsea are being praised for their transfer strategy and talked up as potential title challengers before hosting Arsenal on Sunday.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Team news<\/p>\n Cole Palmer<\/strong> is on the bench for Chelsea<\/a>, who make one change from the win over Barcelona: Joao Pedro replaces Alejandro Garnacho.<\/p>\n Arsenal\u2019s William Saliba<\/strong> was injured in training and is replaced by Piero Hincapie. Gabriel Martinelli and Riccardo Calafiori come into the team for Leandro Trossard and Myles Lewis-Skelly.<\/p>\n Chelsea (4-1-2-3ish)<\/strong> Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo; James, Enzo; Estevao, Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto.<\/p>\n Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Tosin, Badiashile, Andrey Santos, Palmer, Gittens, Garnacho, Delap.<\/p>\n Arsenal (4-1-2-3ish)<\/strong> Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori; Zubimendi; Eze, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli.<\/p>\n Subs: Arrizabalaga, Lewis-Skelly, White, Odegaard, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Madueke, Gyokeres, Jesus.<\/p>\n Referee <\/strong>Anthony Taylor.<\/p>\n When it comes to a half and half scarf, nothing bad can happen, it can only good happen. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.19 EST<\/p>\n Preamble<\/p>\n Hello, good day and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Chelsea v Arsenal<\/a> at Stamford Bridge. Big game, this. If Arsenal win, the title race will have the unsatisfactory* whiff of a done deal. Right now they are the best team in England, arguably Europe.<\/p>\n![\"Ed](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764522927_701_Ed_Aarons,_L.png\")
Ed Aarons<\/p>\n![\"Jacob](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jacob-Steinberg,-L.png\")
Jacob Steinberg<\/p>\n