Arsenal have not conceded a goal, and Chelsea have conceded five
Arsenal and Chelsea both go into Sunday’s Emirates meeting on six points from two games. Arsenal have faced one shot on target all season. Chelsea have won 3-2 and 4-3.
Sep 4, 2026
Arsenal and Chelsea both go into Sunday’s London derby at the Emirates on six points from two games. That is where the similarity stops. Arsenal have scored four goals and conceded none. Chelsea have scored seven and conceded five.
Arsenal have not been made to defend yet
The champions opened with a 3-0 win over Coventry City at the Emirates on 21 August, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scoring inside the first half and Martin Odegaard adding the third four minutes after the break. Ten days later they won 1-0 at Aston Villa.
The more striking number is what has happened at the other end. Across those two games Arsenal have faced 11 shots, one of them on target, and an expected goals against figure of 0.54. Nobody in the division has conceded fewer chances. Mikel Arteta has done it without Jurrien Timber, out with a groin problem, or William Saliba, who has a back injury. Cristhian Mosquera picked up a thigh complaint at Villa Park and Ezri Konsa came on for him. Declan Rice limped off in the same game and is expected to start on Sunday.
Chelsea have won both and looked nothing like solid
Xabi Alonso’s first league game in charge was at Craven Cottage on 24 August. Joao Pedro scored after 31 seconds, Morgan Rogers scored on his debut, Cole Palmer got the third, and Chelsea still needed all of it to win 3-2. Six days later they beat Brighton 4-3 at Stamford Bridge.
Seven goals in two games is a good problem to have. Five conceded against Fulham and Brighton is a different one, and Arsenal are a worse opponent to carry it into. Chelsea have lost four straight visits to the Emirates by an aggregate of 1-10.
The midfield question
Alonso goes into the weekend without the midfielder he sold and possibly without the one he kept. Enzo Fernandez left for Manchester City on deadline day for a joint British record 125 million pounds, on a five-year contract. Moises Caicedo then came on against Brighton in the 68th minute and was off again 14 minutes later.
Alonso was careful about it afterwards. “He was cautious, to stop, to say he was not feeling the best,” he told reporters. “We will assess during the week. It was not something new.” Caicedo is a doubt rather than a definite absentee. Jordan Henderson is still waiting on his Chelsea debut after wrist surgery, and Marco Palestra is close to returning but probably not this weekend.
Kick-off
Sunday 6 September, 9pm IST at the Emirates. Manchester City sit top on goals scored, Arsenal second, Hull City third and Chelsea fourth, all four on six points, which tells you how little two games settle. This one will settle a bit more.