Premier League Matchweek 3 brings a London derby to the Emirates on 6 September 2026, with Arsenal hosting Chelsea. Both teams sit on six points from two games but the stakes feel higher than a typical early season fixture, partly because Arsenal are the defending champions following their 2025/26 title triumph (the club's first in 22 years) and partly because they have yet to concede a single league goal. Chelsea arrive under new manager Xabi Alonso having scored seven times already but shipped five and they already look like a team that will give you chances at both ends.
This is the first Premier League meeting between Arteta and Alonso, which adds an odd subplot to an already loaded fixture: the two are old friends from Basque Spain, with their only competitive touchpoint being a 2024 friendly when Alonso was still at Bayer Leverkusen. Arteta has spent nearly seven years building Arsenal into champions, while Alonso took charge at Chelsea on 1 July 2026 after replacing Liam Rosenior following a turbulent prior season and has moved quickly to install a 3-4-2-1 with the wing-backs as the primary source of attacking width and Palmer and Rogers running off the front.
Arsenal have won all three outings since pre season ended: 3-0 against Manchester City in the Community Shield on 16 August, 3-0 against Coventry City on 21 August and 1-0 against Aston Villa on 31 August, keeping clean sheets throughout. Chelsea are also perfect on points, beating Fulham 3-2 on 24 August and Brighton 4-3 on 30 August in the league with a 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Luton sandwiched in between on 27 August. The records look similar, the profiles could not be more different.
Four of Arsenal's first choice defenders will not be involved, which is more than a selection headache. William Saliba is out with a back injury, Jurriën Timber is sidelined by an ankle problem, Cristhian Mosquera is a doubt with a muscle issue and Bruno Guimarães carries a thigh concern, leaving Gabriel Magalhães to carry the central defensive responsibility largely alone. Chelsea are in better shape, though not entirely healthy, with Jordan Henderson ruled out by a wrist injury, Moisés Caicedo doubtful with a knock and Marco Palestra also uncertain.
Arsenal will likely set up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, though losing both Saliba and Timber removes composure from the back line that no amount of tactical shape fully replaces. Gabriel's leadership compensates somewhat and if Guimarães is fit, a midfield trio alongside Rice and Ødegaard should limit Chelsea's ability to press Arsenal's back three into mistakes, with Rice screening the defence while Ødegaard feeds Bukayo Saka on the right.
Alonso's 3-4-2-1 will look to pull Arsenal's full-backs wide, with Cole Palmer, João Pedro and Morgan Rogers dropping between Arsenal's midfield and defensive line. Palmer in particular will probe Arsenal's right side but with Caicedo doubtful alongside Henderson, who is already out, Chelsea's midfield will be thin when it comes to disrupting Arsenal's build up. Rice and Ødegaard should be able to exploit that midfield gap while Gabriel's aerial strength against Chelsea's forwards gives Arsenal another physical edge.
Arsenal have not lost to Chelsea in their last nine or ten Premier League meetings, recording six or seven wins and three draws in that run. Their home record in that stretch is especially lopsided, with the last four league victories at the Emirates producing an aggregate of 11-2 and that dominance is built on defensive solidity and counter attacking, which maps closely onto what this Arsenal side does.
Set pieces were a recurring source of goals during Arsenal's title run and will matter again here, particularly with Saliba and Timber unavailable and Gabriel needing to organise a depleted back line. Chelsea have already conceded five league goals in two games, suggesting real vulnerability from dead balls. Alonso's high pressing system also tends to leave space behind the defensive line and that is where Saka and Kai Havertz could do their most damage whenever Chelsea lose possession in their own half.
Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea. The defensive absences are a real concern, yet Rice and Ødegaard should limit Palmer's time on the ball in central areas and the absence of Henderson removes the most experienced shield Alonso's midfield had. Saka and Havertz should find room behind a Chelsea midfield missing both Henderson and potentially Caicedo and Gabriel organises a line that has made this fixture an uncomfortable afternoon for Chelsea sides far more complete than this one.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
