TEAM NEWS

Influential Arsenal pair Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are fit to face Chelsea after overcoming respective hamstring and foot injuries.

New signing Mohamed Elneny awaits his debut, while the game comes too soon for fellow midfielder Francis Coquelin.

Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard has returned to training following a groin injury and could be available.

Diego Costa suffered a bruised shin against Everton last weekend but is expected to be fit.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Steve Wilson: "Arsene Wenger found beating Jose Mourinho difficult, but in the build up to this game against Chelsea he may well allow himself a private moment of satisfaction that he outlasted the Portuguese twice.

"Arsenal's draws at Liverpool and Stoke were both creditable, but now it's time to win if they're to underline their credentials as a new, tougher, title-ready Arsenal.

"Wenger seems to consider everything about Roman Abramovic's Chelsea as anathema to all he holds dear. Success based on self-sufficiency is a fairly new concept at Stamford Bridge; Chelsea's current struggle to actually be successful must be delightful.

"As a man born close to the Franco-German border, Wenger will understand exactly what schadenfreude means - and he'll be savouring it whilst he can."

Twitter: @SteveWilson1967 

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "Even if Chelsea are not in the best position, look at their squad. It's a big game because of the quality of the players on the pitch.

"We play at the Emirates and know how important it will be to win this game."

Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink on whether there's a rivalry with Arsenal: "Not at this moment, not in this league. Arsenal are doing very well and making a good battle for first position. And Chelsea are way down under at this moment. Reality."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

The Gunners have not beaten Chelsea in any of their past eight Premier League meetings since 2011 but I think they will end that poor run on Sunday.

Prediction: 2-1

Lawro's full predictions v Ice Cube and Kevin Hart

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Chelsea are unbeaten in eight league meetings since Arsenal won 5-3 in October 2011 (W5, D3).
• Guus Hiddink inflicted Arsenal's heaviest ever Premier League defeat at the Emirates when his Chelsea side won 4-1 in May 2009.
• Three of the last four Premier League meetings at the Emirates have ended goalless. The other game was a 2-1 Chelsea win.
• If the Gunners fail to score on Sunday it will equal their longest run without a goal versus any opponent in the Premier League (six games v Liverpool, 1997-2000).

Arsenal

• Arsenal are unbeaten in nine Premier League games at the Emirates Stadium, winning seven and conceding just four goals in that run. That contrasts with one win in their last six away matches.
• Arsenal and Manchester City are the only two teams in the division not to concede a penalty this season.
• Mesut Ozil has scored three goals and provided a league-high 16 assists this season but he has never scored or set up a goal in seven career appearances against Chelsea.
• Petr Cech has kept 10 Premier League clean sheets this season - a joint-high with Joe Hart after 22 matches. He made 494 appearances for Chelsea, keeping 227 clean sheets in games that he started.

Chelsea

• Chelsea are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League (W2, D4).
• Nonetheless, the victory at Crystal Palace in their last away game was their first in eight attempts on the road.
• If Chelsea fail to win they will set a new record for fewest points by a reigning champion after 23 Premier League matches.
• The Blues are 27 points worse off than at the same stage of last season's title-winning campaign.
• If selected, Nemanja Matic will make his 100th Chelsea appearance.

SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by Professor Ian McHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.