Arsenal vs Chelsea Premier League LIVE Football Score 22 Aug 2021

Seeking to avenge their defeat to the Gunners earlier in the Premier League season, Chelsea welcome Arsenal to Stamford Bridge for Wednesday’s Premier League London derby. Thomas Tuchel’s hosts are all but assured of a top-four place following a 2-1 victory over champions-elect Manchester City last time out, while Arsenal kept their fleeting European hopes alive by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1.

The Blues are third in the table before Wednesday’s game – although they could drop to fourth before kickoff – while the mid-table Gunners are languishing in ninth before the short trip across the capital.In what may have been a sign of things to come in the highly-anticipated Champions League final – wherever it may be held – Chelsea’s astonishing away record saw them over the line against soon-to-be champions Man City, who are still being kept waiting for the Premier League crown.

A 44th-minute effort from Raheem Sterling put Pep Guardiola’s men into the ascendancy, but in the most untypical of Sergio Aguero fashions, the Argentine failed to build on his prolific record against Chelsea as his Panenka penalty failed to fool a grateful Edouard Mendy in the middle of the goal. The Blues took advantage of Aguero’s mishap as Hakim Ziyech levelled the scores in the 63rd minute, and as the final whistle approached, Marcos Alonso scrambled home a late winner over the reaches of Ederson to propel Chelsea to a 2-1 win in the dress rehearsal of the European showpiece event.

The Champions League crown is of course the ultimate prize for Chelsea and the charismatic Thomas Tuchel, who also has an FA Cup final showdown with Leicester City on May 15 to take into account, but the Blues’ top-four standing is all but wrapped up and a derby win would cement their position among the big boys. Chelsea welcome Arsenal to Stamford Bridge on a seven-game unbeaten run across all competitions – during which time they have shipped a mere two goals – and Tuchel’s side have found the back of the net twice in successive triumphs over Fulham, Real Madrid and Man City over the past few weeks.

The unforeseen 5-2 thrashing at the hands of now-relegated West Bromwich Albion has been the only blot on Tuchel’s Chelsea notebook so far, with the former Paris Saint-Germain boss overseeing 10 wins and five draws from his other Premier League matches in charge.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Arsenal won the reverse fixture 3-1 and could complete the league double over Chelsea for the first time since 2003-04.
• The Gunners are yet to lose a top-flight match played in midweek between the sides.
• However, Chelsea are unbeaten in their past eight Premier League home matches in this fixture.

Chelsea

• They have gone 12 away games without defeat for the first time since a run of 15 in 2014. The Blues have only conceded five goals during their current streak.
• Chelsea have kept 18 league clean sheets this season, a joint-league high alongside Manchester City.
• The Blues could equal the top-flight record of eight London derby victories in a season.
• Their joint-leading league scorers this season have six goals: Timo Werner, Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Jorginho. The lowest total by a player who finished a campaign as Chelsea’s top Premier League scorer is nine, in 1992-93 and 1996-97.

Arsenal

• Mikel Arteta’s side are unbeaten in their last five away league games.
• The Gunners could equal their longest Premier League winning streak of the season: three games from December-January.
• Arsenal could keep three consecutive league away clean sheets for the first time since April to May 2013.
• They have equalled their club record of 13 defeats in a 38-match Premier League season, first set in 2017-18.
• Arteta will be 39 years and 47 days old on Wednesday – should Arsenal win, he will be the youngest manager to complete a top-flight double over Chelsea since Trevor Francis in 1991-92.