MIGHTY CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB THE BLUES

Arsenal v Chelsea

Highbury
Sunday 18 December
Kick-off: 1600 GMT
BBC Radio Five Live



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Arsenal forward Jose Reyes is missing with a thigh injury but Dennis Bergkamp is ready to make his comeback after two games out with a hamstring problem.

Gael Clichy and Ashley Cole are injured and Gilberto Silva is suspended.

Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele has recovered from a knee ligament strain and is back in training.

Blues winger Damien Duff was withdrawn against Wigan last weekend with an Achilles injury and is Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho's only new injury

doubt.


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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:
"This game is of massive importance for the whole season, not just for the Premiership.
"We have to focus on how we want to beat Chelsea and not think too much about the consequences of the result.

"We have to go at them and play the game we want to play.

"The noise has gone around England now that to beat Arsenal you have to go into their face, bully them and try to get away with it.

"I feel we have to respond with more authority and calmness than we have until now.

"Chelsea's strength is physical power and you expect a physical game and commitment at the top level."


Chelsea keeper Petr Cech:
"Arsenal is not just about Henry and they have lots of good players.
"We have to approach the game as Chelsea against Arsenal, not Chelsea against Henry.

"It's always difficult to play against him but we don't worry about our opposition and try to concentrate on our game.

"Last season he scored both goals but if Henry doesn't score it becomes more difficult for them as he's their key player.

"Our strength is that we are a team, we have dangerous and quality players in every position. That's why we're such a strong team."



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Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Johnson, Gallas, Ferreira, del Horno, Bridge, Terry, Carvalho, Huth, Makelele, Lampard, Essien, Duff, Robben, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Wright-Phillips, J Cole, C Cole, Crespo.

Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Almunia, Toure, Lauren, Campbell, Senderos, Eboue, Flamini, Fabregas, Song, Larsson, Hleb, Pires, Ljungberg, van Persie, Henry, Bergkamp, Owusu-Abeyie.



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BIG-MATCH FACTS


ARSENAL and champions Chelsea go head-to-head in the pre-Christmas fest at Highbury. Chelsea will be top of the tree at Christmas for the second year running, due in part to a Scrooge-like meanness when it comes to giving away points (only 13 dropped since Christmas Day 2004). Twelve months ago these clubs shared four goals on this ground in a match marked by Thierry Henry's quickly taken free kick, which caught Blues keeper Petr Cech off guard. The champions will provide the sternest challenge yet to the Gunners' 13-match home League winning run. Both these clubs have 100% home records in the top tier, but while Chelsea have gained 16 points on their travels, Arsenal have only chalked up five.

This will be Arsenal's 350th Premier League game under Arsene Wenger, and they're desperate to stave off a third defeat on the bounce. A 2-0 loss at Bolton was followed by last Saturday's 1-0 reverse at Newcastle - the first time in over three years and 117 Premiership matches that the Gunners had suffered successive defeats. They've not gone down to three League losses in a row in Wenger's reign or in 403 Premiership outings . Stewart Houston was at the helm when that last happened in March 1995.

The Gunners have won nine and drawn four of 13 home Premiership matches against Chelsea, but have not beaten them in six games, home and away, in all competitions - drawing three and losing three in the League, Champions League and Community Shield. Arsenal last beat Chelsea 1-2 at Stamford Bridge on 21 February last year, having already recorded a similar success in the reverse fixture that season to achieve the 'double'.

CHELSEA fans should be full of the joy of the festive season, their side having won all but two of 16 League clashes this term. Although they've played one more match than Arsenal, they have a massive 17 more points. Jose Mourinho's men are bidding for a 15th victory from this League campaign, and fifth in a row. They've only been beaten once in 16 League matches this term and in 45 top flight outings, spanning last season. No club can beat their return of 35 goals scored or a miserly seven conceded.

Amazingly the Blues are yet to concede in the second half of a Premiership game this season. Indeed they do their best work after the break. Seven of their League games have been goalless at half-time, and they've turned round in front in only four of the 16, on level terms in nine and in arrears in three. They've only scored one first half goal in five League outings, and 26 of their 35 League goals have come in the second period. Eleven of Arsenal's 22 Premiership goals have been scored in the first half.

Since losing to Arsenal in February 2004, Chelsea have played 15 Premiership London derbies, drawing three of them and winning the other 12. That includes the last five (v Fulham and Charlton last season, and Arsenal, Spurs and Charlton this season). The Gunners have lost one, won one and drawn two capital clashes so far this season, but their record in London top flight derbies remains impressive having taken points from 37 of the last 38.

The Blues have never beaten Arsenal in the Premiership at Highbury, and have not eclipsed the Gunners in an away League game since the 0-1 triumph on 17 March 1990. Mourinho's men won this season's reverse fixture 1-0. Second-half substitute Didier Drogba earned the victory on 73 minutes, bundling in Frank Lampard's free kick with his knee. That gives Chelsea the chance of a first 'double' over the Gunners since the 1969/70 season, and a seventh of all time.


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REFEREE:
Rob Styles (Waterlooville)


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SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM

ARSENAL


Club stats
Fixtures
Going into the weekend: 6th 26 points
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures)

Last lost in excess of two successive Premiership games between 5 and 22 March 1995 when West Ham (h), Blackburn (a), Newcastle (a) and Manchester United (a) all defeated Arsenal in consecutive League matches.
Not scored in 295 minutes (four hours 55 minutes) of League and Cup soccer since Arturo Lupoli's goal in the 3-0 home win over Reading in the Carling Cup on 29 November).
Not scored in 180 minutes (three hours) of Premiership football, since Robin van Persie's stoppage time effort in the 3-0 home win over Blackburn on 26 November.
Won four of the last seven Premier League games.
Scored more goals in the last 10 minutes of Premiership matches this season than any other club (eight). Four of those have come in the last five minutes, and three of those in stoppage time.
26 points after 15 games is the Gunners' lowest return since 25 points were pocketed after the first 15 of the 1998/99 season. Interestingly, they went on to finish runners-up that season.
Awarded more penalties than any other club in Premiership matches this season, but only two of their five spot kicks have been converted.

Holding a 100% home Premiership record (seven wins out of seven).
One of two clubs with 100% home top flight records this term. Chelsea have won all nine of their fixtures at Stamford Bridge.
Challeneging for a 14th successive home League win.
Last failed to grab maximum points at Highbury on 1 February, when beaten 2-4 by Manchester United.
Scored in all home League games this and last season, and gone 27 Premiership matches at Highbury since last failing to find the net in a no score draw against Birmingham on 1 May 2004.
Conceded twice in home League games this term (by Claus Jensen of Fulham, and Alan Stubbs of Sunderland).
Gained 16 more points at home than on their Premiership travels - the widest such dicotamy in the top tier.
Scored three goals in each of the last two home League encounters, against Sunderland and Blackburn.
CHELSEA


Club stats
Fixtures
Going into the weekend: TOP 43 points
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures)

Claimed 43 of a possible 48 League points this season.
Won 18 of 24 in all competitions this season.
Not conceded in six League and Cup games, or 599 minutes (nine hours 59 minutes) since Darren Fletcher scored Manchester United's winner at Old Trafford on 6 November.
Won five more games than any other club in the Premiership.
Lost fewer matches in the top grade (one).
Boast the strongest attack in the highest echelon (35 in 16) and the tightest defence (just seven conceded).
Scored every 41 minutes of Premiership football played on average, and conceded one goal every 206 minutes (three hours 23 minutes).
Played 419 minutes (six hours 59 minutes) of Premiership football without conceding a goal.
Lost one of 45 Premiership matches.
Experienced only two defeats in 54 Premiership games under Mourinho, winning 43.
Conceded two goals in a Premiership match in one of the last 37 (4-2, home win over Blackburn on 29 October).
Conceded two goals only three times in League games under Mourinho.
Gone 21 top tier contests since a no score draw (home to Arsenal on 20 April).
Opponents kept Chelsea at bay in one of 16 Premiership matches this term (at Old Trafford).
Failed to score in one of 21 Premiership fixtures, and in two of the last 28 top flight clashes.
One of two clubs to have missed the target in only one Premiership fixture this term. The other is Manchester United.
100% record when a clean sheet has been kept in the top tier (10 of 10).
This is the first season Chelsea have accrued in excess of 39 points after the first 16 games of a Premiership season. They are four points better off than at this identical stage last season.
The club's previous highest after the first 17 games in this League was 40 points last season. They already have 43.
Gone 74 League clashes since losing by more than a single goal (4-2, away to Charlton on Boxing Day 2003).
Ahead at half time in only four of their Premiership matches so far, drawing in nine, and losing in three.
Aston Villa, Bolton, Everton and Manchester United have all scored first against Chelsea in the League this season.
Kept clean sheets in 15 of their 24 League and Cup matches this season.
Registered 10 Premiership shut-outs. Only Liverpool can beat it (12).
Opened the scoring in 12 of their 16 top League engagements, winning all 12 games.
Third in the Premiership's "Last Six Current Form" table with 15 points out of 18 - three points behind Liverpool, and one behind Manchester United.
Scored more penalties than any other club in Premiership matches this matches this season. All four spot kicks awarded have been converted.

The 100% start to this League crusade was ended when Everton held the champions to a 1-1 draw at Goodison on 23 October.
The 40-game unbeaten League record was ended by Manchester United in the last but one Premiership game on the road - the 1-0 loss at the Theatre of Dreams on 6 November.
Lost one of 21 away League games, winning 17, drawing three.
Gone 17 away games since conceding more than a single goal (2-2 with Arsenal on 12 December last year).
That's the only time two goals have been conceded in a League game away from Stamford Bridge during the Mourinho era.
The last three away League contests have resulted in a draw, a loss and a win in that order.
Failed to score in only one away top League clash this season, and in one of the last 21 League skirmishes on the road.


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KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES

ARSENAL


Squad profiles

Thierry HENRY holds the club record as Arsenal's top scorer of all time, but with 145 Premiership goals, he's still five short of Cliff Baston's Arsenal record of 150 League goals.
HENRY has scored 11 goals in 14 League and Cup appearances for the Gunners this season.
Robin VAN PERSIE has scored eight in 11 appearances for Arsenal.
When next involved from the outset, Ashley COLE will be making his 150th Premiership start for north Londoners.
Suspended: GILBERTO Silva
CHELSEA


Squad profiles

Should he figure, Frank LAMPARD will extend the Premiership's record for consecutive appearances to 163.
LAMPARD has scored 12 goals for his club this season, and trails Manchester United's Ruud VAN NISTELROOY by two as the highest scoring Premiership player.
LAMPARD is one goal behind VAN NISTELROOY in the Golden Boot standings, with 11 Premiership goals.
If he keeps goal, Petr CECH will be making his 50th Premiership appearance - all for Chelsea.
If in the eleven, Joe COLE will be making his 200th club career start (West Ham and Chelsea).


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LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME:
Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea
12 December 2004 - Ref: Graham Poll
Arsenal scorers: Henry 2, 29
Chelsea scorers: Terry 17, Gudjohnsen 46



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THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE:
Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal
21 August 2005 - Ref: Graham Poll
Chelsea scorer: Drogba 73



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HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
League: Arsenal 57 wins, Chelsea 38, Draws 42
Prem: Arsenal 14 wins, Chelsea 4, Draws 9

HEAD TO HEAD at Arsenal
League: Arsenal 34 wins, Chelsea 16, Draws 18
Prem: Arsenal 9 wins, Chelsea 0, Draws 4