After last week’s thrashing of Tottenham, Arsenal are on a high once again as they march on in their pursuit of the Premier League title and as they prepare for a crucial home game against Chelsea this weekend.
The Gunners thumped Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with braces from Ebrechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres condemning the Lilywhites to defeat in their first game under new interim boss Igor Tudor. Panic had started to set in at the Emirates after consecutive draws in the league, but the positive vibes have now been restored after such an emphatic victory against their arch rivals.
Mikel Arteta should be confident that his team can secure another statement victory this Sunday, as Chelsea come into this clash off the back of two of their own disappointing draws. The Blues were held by Burnley and Leeds United, both at Stamford Bridge, and now find themselves behind Manchester United and languishing in fifth.
On top of this, Rosenior will be without a handful of crucial players for his team’s visit to N5.
Every player Chelsea won’t have available against Arsenal
Arsenal could be without Kai Havertz for the game against Chelsea, with the German still finding it difficult to return to full fitness. Mikel Merino will also be unavailable for the Gunners, while Ben White is a doubt.
These absences are significant for Arteta, although Rosenior arguably has far greater squad issues heading into this specific showdown. The new Chelsea boss will be forced to select an eleven that won’t include several key players.
Wesley Fofana is suspended after being sent off against Burnley last weekend, while second-choice goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen is facing a late fitness test to determine his availability. Levi Colwill and Jamie Gittens are long-term absentees, while Rosenior confirmed on Friday that Estevao, Marc Cucurella and Dario Essugo are all set to miss out.
Estevao is struggling with a thigh strain, as is Cucurella, while the details behind Essugo’s injury have been somewhat under-reported. Reece James has been passed fit.
| Player | Reason for absence | Potential return date |
| Levi Colwill | Knee injury | 24/05/2026 |
| Jamie Bynoe-Gittens | Thigh injury | 21/03/2026 |
| Estevao | Knee injury | 14/03/2026 |
| Darrio Essugo | Other | 14/03/2026 |
| Marc Cucurella | Thigh injury | 07/03/2026 |
| Wesley Fofana | Suspended | 04/03/2026 |
| Filip Jorgensen | Other | 01/03/2026 |
| Mykhailo Mudryk | Suspended | No Return Date |
Chelsea’s Predicted XI vs Arsenal
Despite missing several important players, Chelsea still have a plethora of options. The Blues have invested heavily in recent years and have subsequently acquired significant depth in almost every position.
Rob Sanchez will start in goal, while Trevoh Chalobah has cemented himself as one of the first names on Chelsea’s team sheet at the heart of their defence. In Fofana’s absence, one of Josh Acheampong or Tosin Adarabioyo will likely come in, and Rosenior may lean on the latter merely due to experience.
In the full-back positions, Rosenior could go a number of different ways. He could call upon Jorrel Hato in Cucurella’s absence, use James in midfield and start Malo Gusto at right-back. However, the more likely configuration involves Gusto moving over to left-back and James starting in his more natural position.
Estevao’s absence could mean Cole Palmer starts on the right wing, which will create space for Andrey Santos to start alongside Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in midfield. Pedro Neto or Alejandro Garnacho will battle it out for a spot down the left, while Joao Pedro will likely start up front.
Predicted Chelsea XI vs Arsenal: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Chalobah, Gusto, Caicedo, Santos, Fernandez; Palmer, Pedro, Neto.
