Chelsea v Arsenal: Premier League – live

Arsenal have the chance to go top tonight. They’ll need to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the fourth time in a row if they’re to do it. Earlier this afternoon, Liverpool beat Everton 2-0 at Anfield and were in pole position for a couple of hours before Manchester City beat Brighton 2-1 at the Etihad. Spurs don’t play until Monday evening, when they host Fulham.

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville pays his respects to Sir Bobby Charlton on Sky. “Manchester United’s greatest representative around the world and has been for 50 to 60 years … he was one of the original Busby Babes … he lost a lot of his team-mates and colleagues … he came through … he won the European Cup, the World Cup, and was a director at the club … he used to come into the changing room after every match, win lose or draw … you would take it for granted that an icon would be walking around saying well done, or trying to pick you up if you’d lost a game … it’s obviously a great loss, but it’s obvious that he was English football’s greatest player and ambassador … a champion on the pitch and off it.”

It’s a small but poignant coincidence that tonight’s big game is at Stamford Bridge, for that’s where Sir Bobby played his 751st and last match for Manchester United in April 1973. Before the game Chelsea presented him with an inscribed silver cigarette case and formed a guard of honour; after the hosts won by a single Peter Osgood goal, the 35-year-old Charlton rode off into the sunset (via Preston, where he’d spend a couple of seasons as player-coach). Charlton’s innate modesty and sense of honour led to him apologising for what he considered a below-par personal display … like anyone would ever have loved or respected him any less.

It’s a sad day for football with the news of Sir Bobby Charlton’s passing. Both Chelsea and Arsenal have paid their respects to the Manchester United and England legend on social media.

Chelsea make two changes to their starting line-up after the 4-1 win at Burnley. Malo Gusto and Mykhailo Mudryk replace Axel Disasi, who drops to the bench, and Armando Broja, who picked up a knee knock while on international duty with Albania and sits this one out altogether.

Arsenal also make two changes from their last game, the 1-0 win over Manchester City. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli replace Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard, who both drop to the bench. There’s no Aaron Ramsdale, who is on paternity leave after his wife gave birth to a baby boy.

Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Thiago Silva, Colwill, Cucurella, Gallagher, Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer, Mudryk, Sterling.
Subs: Disasi, Badiashile, Madueke, Jackson, Ugochukwu, James, Petrovic, Maatsen, Deivid Washington.

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice, Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Partey, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Nelson, Havertz, Hein.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire).

After their near miss last season, Arsenal are taking a tilt at the title once more. Chelsea by comparison are simply trying to sort themselves out after a season-and-a-bit of wild flux. So given Arsenal have won each of the last three meetings between these two grand London institutions, to the aggregate score of 8-3, have won on their last three visits to Stamford Bridge, and haven’t lost on Chelsea’s patch since 2018, you can see why the Gunners are fancied to win this one tonight.

However the traditional Guardian MBM Preamble Ah-buts™ apply. Arsenal may be coming off the back of that statement victory over champions Manchester City, but Chelsea are slowly beginning to piece things together under Mauricio Pochettino. They’re on a run of three wins on the bounce, and are beginning to take some of the chances they’ve in fairness been creating this season from the get-go. So this is set up deliciously, not least because it’s a local matter with all the concomitant folderol. Should be a cracker. Kick off is at 5.30pm BST. It’s on!