March 21, 2014

Stamford Bridge host Gunners in top-flight Premier League classic

Football's oldest top-flight London derby is convened this weekend for the 182nd time. The Barclays Premier League leaders defend the best home record against the side in third, protecting the best away performance throughout the season to date. It is also the meeting of two managers, one of whom has monopolised the success up to now: Jose Mourinho is unbeaten in all 10 previous meetings with Arsenal and Arsene Wenger - five wins, five draws.

Arsenal fans will hope for a sprightlier effort from their side than the corresponding league game at Emirates, when virtually the only shot on target was the one in their pre-match latte. Welcome to the home of London's only European Cup-winners, Gooners.

Torres approaches to the game after being rested in midweek Champions League fixture against Turkish opposition Galatasaray, playing only the last five minutes of the contest. Two days before celebrating his 30th birthday the Spaniard will try his best to get a crucial victory over Gunners and lift Blues seven points clear at the top, although they have one rearranged fixture to be played next week.

Last season Torres scored the first goal as Blues got a 1-2 win on Emirates Stadium. Fernando Torres netted to put the Blues into a lead that was levelled up before the interval by Gervinho. Then Juan Mata found the net directly with a free-kick after a Vermaelen's trip was judged a bookable offence over Torres not long after the restart.

This weekend brings Wenger's 1,000th match in charge of the Gunners. Forty-eight of them have been against Chelsea, with 40 per cent of those defeats, 27 per cent draws. His 500th, in August 2005, was also against Chelsea and ended in a 1-0 triumph for the Blues thanks, inevitably, to Didier Drogba.

It's not just Arsenal whose parties Chelsea have enjoyed spoiling - ask Bayern fans about 'unser pokal' in 'unser stadion'. Who could also forget the goals at Old Trafford in Alex Ferguson's 10th anniversary game in November 1996, when goals by Michael Duberry and Gianluca Vialli stole the fizz from the Scotsman's champers.

Victory for the Blues in this Saturday's early kick-off would open up a seven-point gap at the top before Manchester City host Fulham and Liverpool travel to Cardiff. Both those sides play a rearranged game in midweek: City are at Old Trafford for the Manchester derby while Liverpool entertain Gus Poyet's Sunderland.

- Match preview by chelseafc.com