A tale older than the scoreboard, written in grit, colour, and London soul.

On Sunday, the Bridge becomes a stage where pride takes shape, where echoes of old battles rise again, and where two giants choose the right to say, “We ruled the city.”

Blue hearts will thunder, Red voices will rise, and somewhere between the roar and the rivalry, a new chapter will be written.

The London rivals enter what feels like the most significant iteration of this fixture in years off the back of stellar midweek victories over European behemoths.

Chelsea produced their standout performance of the Enzo Maresca era so far to beat Barcelona 3-0, while Arsenal were once again convincing in their 3-1 win over the previously unbeaten Bayern Munich.

Who claims the crown when the final whistle sings?

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Managers

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on Arsenal ahead of the blockbuster game with Chelsea this weekend.

“For sure Arsenal defend fantastically. Any teams against them, they struggle to score goals, not only to score goals, but even to create chances. So it’s a team that they defend very well,” he said.

Maresca acknowledged that Arsenal is in the best form, topping the Champions League and the Premier League.

He said that Arteta’s team is also good while attacking on top of the good defensive record.

“We are going to try our best to win the game and defend in the best way we can. I think Arsenal is not just against one team or two teams,” he said.

Maresca also pointed out that Arsenal score goals in set-pieces against any team.

He referenced their Champions League game against Bayern Munich, where they scored the first goal; from a corner.

“It’s not just that they score goals against. They score goals against any team. They have a system in place that works very well, and we’re going to try to do our best to defend in the best way,” he added.

Mikel Arteta on Chelsea:

“They are one of the teams that I enjoy the most watching and they have a lot of fluidity, they have a lot of threat, they have a lot of individual talent, they are very clear what they want to do and that’s why they are very tough.”

Game Records

Arsenal is currently leading the EPL with 29 points, while Chelsea is in second place with 23 points.

Total Meetings-211.

Most Wins-Arsenal (84).

Top Scorer-Didier Drogba with 13 goals.

All-time Arsenal 85, Chelsea 66, Drawn 61

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In the 2025/26 season

Goals Scored-Chelsea 23, Arsenal 24

Goals from open play-Chelsea 14, Arsenal 12.

Clean sheets- Chelsea 6, Arsenal 7.

Goals conceded -Chelsea 11, Arsenal 6.

Expected Goals -Chelsea 22.47, Arsenal 21.26.

Predictions

Most fans are predicting a draw as that has been the norm in close to many close matches played.

Muktar on X,”Chelsea are going to lose brutally.”

Ozone, “Chelsea winning by at least 3 goals.”

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 6 visits to Stamford Bridge: 2-2,  1-0, 4-2, 1-0, 2-2, 1-1

According to Arteta, there’s a potential return of Leandro Trossard in the Chelsea game.

Trossard went off injured in the Bayern game.

Maresca also said Cole Palmer is fit and available to start for Chelsea.

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Chelsea and Arsenal meet today at Stamford Bridge in a high-stakes top-of-the-table showdown. PHOTO/Courtesy.