Chelsea vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight

Follow all the action as Chelsea host Arsenal in the Premier League this evening.

After crashing out of the Champions League, Thomas Tuchel’s side recovered their momentum with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace to reach the FA Cup final. The saga surrounding the club’s takeover continues to rumble on in the background but on the pitch, the Blues sit in third and are all but assured of a top-four spot. “It seems like things are pretty safe (in the top-four race) but things can change so, so quickly,” Tuchel warned.

Arsenal have seen their own top-four hopes unravel in disastrous fashion. Mikel Arteta’s side have lost four of their last five league games, undoing so much of the progress the Spaniard had seemingly made this season, while Alexandre Lacazette has failed to take on the goalscoring burden up front. Arsenal’s most recent defeat, against Southampton last weekend, was perhaps the most dismal, however, the Gunners are still in contention for a coveted Champions League spot, largely thanks to the stumbles of their rivals. They come into the fixture three points adrift of Tottenham having played a game less than Antonio Conte’s side.

Follow all the action live below:

Chelsea vs Arsenal

• GOAL! 90+2’ - Bukayo Saka seals Arsenal victory from penalty spot

• GOAL! 57’ - Nketiah scores again to put Arsenal back into the lead

• GOAL! 32’ - Cesar Azpilicueta gives Chelsea another equaliser

• GOAL! 27’ - Emile Smith Rowe puts Gunners back in front

• GOAL! 18’ - Timo Werner levels for Chelsea with deflected shot at goal

• GOAL! 13’ - Eddie Nketiah gives Arsenal early lead

Chelsea FC 2 - 4 Arsenal FC

Full-time: Chelsea 2 - 4 Arsenal

21:39 , Michael Jones

90+5 mins: What a performance from Arsenal. They needed to win to keep themselves in the hunt for the Champions League places and they’ve come to Stamford Bridge and pumped four past Edouard Mendy.

Thomas Tuchel looks reflective on the sidelines but his team have just been outplayed tonight. Arsenal draw level on points with Tottenham and they’ve still got to play Antonio Conte’s men.

The end of the season is shaping up nicely.

GOAL! Chelsea 2 - 4 Arsenal (Saka, 90+2’)⚽️

21:36 , Michael Jones

90+2 mins: Mendy dives to his right and Saka slots it to the goalkeeper’s left. Arsenal are two goals in front with two minutes to play!

Penalty to Arsenal!

21:35 , Michael Jones

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

90 mins: Cesar Azpilicueta pulls down Bukayo Saka in the Chelsea box and Arsenal have a spot kick to win the game!

Saka himself will take it after a VAR check confirms the referee’s decision.

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:33 , Michael Jones

87 mins: Gabriel Martinelli nicks the ball off Malang Sarr and looks to carry it into the box but Thiago Silva steps up to block him off and recover the ball for Chelsea.

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:28 , Michael Jones

84 mins: A long ball down the right side of the pitch sees Arsenal substitute Cedric Soares under the ball and burst into the box. He cuts it back all the way to Nuno Tavares who belts his shot at goal wide of the near post!

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:25 , Michael Jones

81 mins: Marcos Alonso is hooked for Hakim Ziyech as Thomas Tuchel chucks on another attacker as Chelsea search for their third equaliser of the game.

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:22 , Michael Jones

78 mins: Arsenal are heading for a big win here at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea haven’t created much since they went behind again and are just struggling to break down the Arsenal defence. For their part the Gunners have plenty of men back to defend and are keeping Chelsea at bay. Can they hold on for the final 12 minutes or so?

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:20 , Michael Jones

75 mins: Close! Xhaka hoofs the ball away from his own box and nearly plays Martinelli in behind. The forward manages to win the ball but it squirts backwards and is won by Saka after Thiago Silva lunges to clear it. Saka gets it over to Odegaard sprinting down the right channel and he knocks the ball into the box before hurridly passing it across the area. Martinelli is waiting but Mendy dvies across him and just clings onto the ball.

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:14 , Michael Jones

70 mins: Eddie Nketiah’s two goals have put Arsenal in control of the game but his race is run as Mikel Arteta calls on fresh legs. Gabriel Martinelli comes on to replace him for the last 20 minutes of the match at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:13 , Michael Jones

67 mins: Arsenal have had more defending to do in this half and they’ve been up to the task. They’ve been solid and held their shape well looking to use the pace of Smith Rowe and Saka to get them forward on counter-attacks.

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:09 , Michael Jones

64 mins: Chance! Reece James drills a low shot at goal from the right side of the box and finds Aaron Ramsdale. The Arsenal goalkeeper drops low to keep it out but he spills the ball and it bounces across to Marcos Alonso. He snatches at a quick shot but Gabriel gets the block in and the ball goes wide!

Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal

21:05 , Michael Jones

60 mins: Romelu Lukaku’s night is done as Kai Havertz is brought on by Thomas Tuchel to give Chelsea more pace up top.

GOAL! Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal (Nketiah, 57’)⚽️

21:01 , Michael Jones

57 mins: It’s fortuitous and scrappy but Eddie Nketiah scores again for the Gunners! Nuno Tavares bombs down the left wing and passes the ball inside to Nketiah who spins nicely to bring the ball into the box. Thiago Silva pokes the ball away from him but it hits the arriving Malang Sarr and bounces back to the Arsenal forward. He toe pokes a quick shot past Edouard Mendy and sends Arsenal back into the lead!

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:59 , Michael Jones

54 mins: Arsenal win a corner that Bukayo Saka whips into the middle of the box. It just skims over the top of Eddie Nketiah’s head and Romelu Lukaku nods it away before the whistle goes for a foul in the box and Chelsea win a free kick.

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:55 , Michael Jones

51 mins: Chelsea have started the second half quicker. Lukaku receives the ball and slots it over to Werner who’s drifted into the right channel. He curls a low pass into the box for Lukaku to run onto but the forward is blocked off by Xhaka who holds him up long enough for Ramsdale to scoop up the loose ball.

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:53 , Michael Jones

48 mins: Ruben Loftus-Cheek flicks the ball down the right side looking to play Romelu Lukaku in behind. The striker halts his run though as he looks offside and Aaron Ramsdale comes out to tidy up for Arsenal.

Second half: Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:49 , Michael Jones

Kick off: Thiago Silva has come on for Chelsea replacing Andreas Christensen in the back line. Mason Mount restarts the match with a pass back to Reece James. Arsenal fly forward on the press but Chelsea pass it around the attackers and work the ball down the left side. Mount slides Werner into the box and he fires an early shot into the side netting.

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:43 , Michael Jones

Emile Smith Rowe (10) is only the second Arsenal player aged 21 or younger to score 10+ Premier League goals in a season, after Nicolas Anelka in 1998-99 (17).

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:40 , Michael Jones

Chelsea vs Arsenal has seen both sides score twice in the first 32 minutes, the earliest into a Premier League match that both teams have scored two goals since Liverpool vs Leeds on the opening day of 2020-21 (30th min)

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:37 , Michael Jones

The first half swung beautifully back and forth as Eddie Nketiah opened the scoring before Timo Werner equalised a few minutes later. Emile Smith Rowe struck to send the Gunners back in front but Cesar Azpilicueta netted to send the teams into the break on level terms.

Half-time: Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:33 , Michael Jones

45+2 mins: A blistering half of football comes to an end with neither team taking an advantage into the break. Arsenal will arguably be the happier side as they’ve been lacking goals recently but have looked sharp in front of goal.

Thomas Tuchel will be drilling his players to cut out the mistakes. If they game continues like this it’s open for whichever team wants to win more.

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:31 , Michael Jones

45 mins: Two minutes of added time to play at the end of this first half. Edouard Mendy is given the ball with Arsenal pressing up the pitch. He looks to pass it across to Reece James but is way off target and ends up knocking the ball out for a throw in.

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:30 , Michael Jones

42 mins: Arsenal win a free kick in Chelsea’s half but don’t make much use of it as Mohamed Elneny’s chipped pass into the box is easily dealt with by the home side.

Chance! Saka drives forward down the right and passes the ball across to Odegaard. He slots it into the front of the box for Smith Rowe who shimmies around two or three defenders and blasts his effort just wide of goal!

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:28 , Michael Jones

39 mins: Timo Werner is having a good game for Chelsea. He sprints back to recover the ball then kicks off an attack that results in another wayward shot from Marcos Alonso. The Chelsea chant his name to show their support for his efforts.

Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal

20:23 , Michael Jones

36 mins: It’s confident play from Arsenal despite having their lead cut out twice. They’re passing the ball quickly and getting themselves into decent areas in the final third. Likewise for Chelsea.

This is a cracking game. Mason Mount laces a diagonal ball over to Marcos Alonso who controls it in the box and fires his effort wide of goal.

GOAL! Chelsea 2 - 2 Arsenal (Azpilicueta, 32’)⚽️

20:18 , Michael Jones

32 mins: It came sooner than I thought it would but Chelsea equalise for the second time! Marcos Alonso sends a throw in on the left side to Mason Mount who is dispossessed by Ben White. White then loses the ball to a pressing Timo Werner who prods it back to Mount. He swings a cross into the near post where Cesar Azpilicueta pops up to turn the ball into the back of the net!

Chelsea 1 - 2 Arsenal

20:16 , Michael Jones

30 mins: Half an hour played at Stamford Bridge and this game is developing nicely. Chelsea remain threatening in possession and Arsenal have made a couple of mistakes at the back - with Rob Holding in particular struggling to get up to the pace of the match.

There are definitely more goals in this game.

GOAL! Chelsea 1 - 2 Arsenal (Smith Rowe, 27’)⚽️

20:11 , Michael Jones

27 mins: Arsenal are back in front! Some messy defending from Rob Holding isn’t punished by Chelsea and Granit Xhaka manages to run the ball out from inside his own box. He threads it up to Martin Odegaard who once more slips Bukayo Saka into space on the right. Saka brings the ball up to the box and gives it back to Odegaard who lays off a first touch pass for Emile Smith Rowe to run onto. He meets the ball 18-yards out from goal and sidefoots his effort into the far bottom corner! Lovely finish from Arsenal’s leading goalscorer.

Chelsea 1 - 1 Arsenal

20:09 , Michael Jones

24 mins: Nice footwork from Bukayo Saka who is played down the line by Martin Odegaard. He carries the ball up the pitch and into the box before taking on Marcos Alonso and weaving around the left-back. Saka passes the ball into Eddie Nketiah but he fires his chance wide of the target.

Chelsea 1 - 1 Arsenal

20:08 , Michael Jones

21 mins: It’s been a decent contest so far with Chelsea probably edging things in terms of possession and chances created. Nuno Tavares and Mason Mount come together on Chelsea’s right side with the Arsenal man seemingly coming off worse. He lets out a scream and rolls around on the floor before Mount ‘politely’ tells him to get up.

GOAL! Chelsea 1 - 1 Arsenal (Werner, 18’)⚽️

20:04 , Michael Jones

18 mins: Arsenal’s lead didn’t last long. Timo Werner collects the ball on the left wing and darts inside. The Gunners drop off him and allow him space to shoot. He does so from just outside the box and the effort deflects off Granit Xhaka, narrowly evades the leaping Aaron Ramsdale and finishes in the back of the net. Chelsea are level.

Chelsea 0 - 1 Arsenal

20:02 , Michael Jones

15 mins: It was a great finish from Nketiah who was selected ahead of Alexandre Lacazette this evening. The 22-year-old has been vocal in wanting to play more for the Gunners and he’s repaying Mikel Arteta’s faith in him tonight.

GOAL! Chelsea 0 - 1 Arsenal (Nketiah, 13’)⚽️

19:58 , Michael Jones

13 mins: It’s a shocker from Andreas Christensen and Arsenal take the lead! The ball is chipped down the left side for Eddie Nketiah to chase down. Christensen does well initially to get across and beat him to the ball but under pressure from the striker scuffs his pass back and leaves the ball for Nketiah to run onto. He shifts it in front of Malang Sarr and coolly nestles his shot past Edouard Mendy to find the near bottom corner!

Chelsea 0 - 0 Arsenal

19:57 , Michael Jones

12 mins: Rob Holding gets lucky after giving the ball away to Romelu Lukaku. He lays it off to Mason Mount who underhits a through ball for Timo Werner and allows Arsenal to get back into shape quickly. Werner runs into trouble and passes the ball back to N’Golo Kante who hass no options ahead of him and has to retreat.

Chelsea 0 - 0 Arsenal

19:53 , Michael Jones

9 mins: Gabriel stays up the pitch after an Arsenal set piece is cleared out of the Chelsea box. It’s recovered by Granit Xhaka who dinks the ball into the area and plays in the defender. Gabriel takes the ball to the byline before squaring it into the six-yard box and sending it into the arms of Edouard Mendy.

Chelsea 0 - 0 Arsenal

19:51 , Michael Jones

6 mins: Chance! Chelsea win the first corner of the game and it gets whipped into the middle of the box and drops for Romelu Lukaku. He has his back to goal and can pnly lay it off to Marcos Alonso who shoots and sees his effort deflected into the side-netting.

The next corner kick is an inswinger and curls over the head of Aaron Ramsdale. He flaps at the ball but misses it and it looks for a moment as though Chelsea might score but Gabriel is well positioned near the back post to head the ball off the line!

Chelsea 0 - 0 Arsenal

19:48 , Michael Jones

3 mins: Nearly. N’Golo Kante brings the ball through the midfield but loses it to Mohamed Elneny. The ball comes loose and bobbles over to Mason Mount who pokes it into the box for Timo Werner. He brings it down but is pounced on almost immediately by the two Arsenal centre-backs and gets dispossessed.

Kick off: Chelsea 0 - 0 Arsenal

19:46 , Michael Jones

Martin Odegaard gets the match started for Arsenal. The visitors work it down the right side and send the ball out for an early Chelsea throw in.

Arsenal look to be set up with a back three utilising Nuno Tavares and Bukayo Saka as wingbacks to make it a five when Chelsea have possession.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:42 , Michael Jones

Here come the teams. Arsenal can move level with Tottenham if they win tonight. Chelsea would take a firmer grip on third place if they were to pick up all three points.

Which way will this one go?

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:39 , Michael Jones

The warm-ups are over at Stamford Bridge and kick off is just over five minutes away.

Elsewhere in the Premier League tonight, Everton take on Leicester and Newcastle host Crystal Palace. Those two games also kick off at 7:45pm before Manchester City attempt to retake the top spot with a victory over Brighton at 8pm.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:36 , Michael Jones

Thiago Silva is set to become the oldest outfield player to represent Chelsea in the Premier League - aged 37 years and 210 days - but he starts on the bench tonight.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:33 , Michael Jones

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel speaking to Sky Sports, on a start for striker Romelu Lukaku: “You were asking so much about him so I finally put him in! Kai Havertz is overloaded so it was the moment to go with Romelu.

“If you have a good experience, a good memory against an opponent it can help. It was not the main reason - he deserves to play first of all and Kai is a bit tired. Also a little bit that he had a good game in the first match.

“It’s always like this. We are used to playing a lot. It means you play for something. It is challenging to go from competition to competition and all the challenges that comes with it, but it is a good sign, it is a reward.”

Chelsea director Eugene Tenenbaum: ‘I do not hold assets for Mr Abramovich’

19:30 , Michael Jones

Chelsea director Eugene Tenenbaum expects “mistakes made to be dealt with accordingly” in seeking recourse after being sanctioned by the UK Government.

Tenenbaum was hit with an asset freeze on April 14 by Downing Street, owing to his long-held association with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government on March 10, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Downing Street claimed Tenenbaum took control of Ervington Investments – a company linked to Abramovich – on February 24, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine-born Tenenbaum has now insisted he does not have control of the assets concerned, and that he was not a company director when the sanctions were imposed.

Chelsea director Eugene Tenenbaum: ‘I do not hold assets for Mr Abramovich’

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:26 , Michael Jones

Bukayo Saka is the only English player to have registered at least 50 shots and created a minimum of 50 chances in the top flight in 2021-22.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:23 , Michael Jones

Mason Mount is one shy of 100 Premier League appearances. With 23 goals and 18 assists, he has been involved in more goals than any other English player in their first 100 Premier League games for the Blues.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:20 , Michael Jones

A win would ensure Arsenal become the third club to record 250 Premier League away victories, emulating Manchester United and Chelsea.

But, Mikel Arteta’s side have lost eight of nine league fixtures when conceding first this season. They’ll need to start quickly if they want to win at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:16 , Michael Jones

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke to Sky Sports ahead of the game to talk about his aims for tonight’s game and whether Alexandre Lacazette could feature.

“Every game we play to win and we try to find the best way to win the game.” he said, “I expect a tough game against the champions of the Champions League. We will have to be at our best.

“We will have periods we will suffer against this team. We must play with certainty and courage like we always do.

“Lacazette is only available for a few minutes. He could only train for a short time and he wasn’t feeling particularly well but he wanted to be available to help the team.”

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:13 , Michael Jones

Arsenal have lost four of their last five Premier League matches, having previously lost just one of 11. The Gunners have been beaten in eight of their last 10 top-flight games in the month of April.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:10 , Michael Jones

Chelsea could lose three consecutive home matches for the first time since November 1993, when the third game in that sequence was a 2-0 defeat by Arsenal.

Yet the Blues have won six of their last seven league matches, keeping five clean sheets.

Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek enjoying wing back role under Thomas Tuchel

19:06 , Michael Jones

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek said he is relishing his new role as a wing-back under manager Thomas Tuchel after impressive performances in the last two matches.

Loftus-Cheek started last weekend’s Premier League match at Southampton on the right side, playing a part in four goals as Chelsea won 6-0.

The 26-year-old then excelled in the same role at the Santiago Bernabeu as Chelsea defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, although that result was not enough to send them through to the next round.

Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek enjoying wing back role under Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:03 , Michael Jones

Chelsea ended a three-match losing streak against Arsenal in all competitions by winning 2-0 away in August but Arsenal’s 1-0 victory in May last season was their first in nine Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge (two draws, six defeats).

Chelsea vs Arsenal

19:00 , Michael Jones

Victory tonight would leave Chelsea needing just seven points from the remaining 21 available to secure a top-four finish and make it into the Champions League next season.

Thomas Tuchel wishes he could name ‘brilliant’ Reece James twice in Chelsea line-up

18:55 , Michael Jones

Thomas Tuchel has admitted Reece James is so good he would love to pick him twice.

Chelsea boss Tuchel conceded he cannot decide whether England defender James is better at right wing-back or right centre-back.

James missed two months at the turn of the year through hamstring trouble, only to be sidelined again with a recurrence in March.

Tuchel revealed deploying James on the right of a three-man defence has not only helped combat standout left-sided opponents in recent weeks, but also helped keep the 22-year-old fresh.

“He can play both positions brilliantly, but we can only select him once,” said Tuchel.

Thomas Tuchel wishes he could name ‘brilliant’ Reece James twice in Chelsea line-up

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Team changes

18:51 , Michael Jones

Thomas Tuchel makes four changes to the Chelsea team that started against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup at the weekend. Malang Sarr replaces Antonio Rudiger in the back line. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante replace Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho in midfield with Romelu Lukaku up front instead of Kai Havertz.

There are three changes for Arsenal. Cedric Soares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Gabriel Martinelli all drop out with Mohamed Elneny, Emile Smith Rowe and Rob Holding brought in.

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Line-ups

18:45 , Michael Jones

Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Christensen, Sarr, Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Kante, Alonso, Mount, Lukaku, Werner

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Holding, Tavares, Xhaka, Elneny, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Nketiah

Romelu Lukaku has ‘six weeks to save Chelsea career’, claims Joe Cole

18:40 , Michael Jones

Joe Cole believes Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has just six weeks to save his career at the Premier League club.

The Belgium international has had an underwhelming time at the Blues since signing from Inter Milan for £97.5m in the summer, falling out of favour with manager Thomas Tuchel and suffering from a series of injuries.

The striker came off the bench in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace but could only hit the post from point-blank range.

Speaking on ITV, Cole said: “Lukaku has six weeks to save his Chelsea career. You look at Werner and he doesn’t give up. Lukaku wants to be that focal point but he missed a chance. When it’s not going for you, it’s not going for you.”

Romelu Lukaku has ‘six weeks to save Chelsea career’, claims Joe Cole

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Tonight’s venue

18:35 , Michael Jones

Stamford Bridge hosts tonight London derby and it’s set to be a good night for it. Team news should be out soon.

Tottenham and Arsenal had ‘huge advantage’ over Chelsea with early cup exits, says Thomas Tuchel

18:30 , Michael Jones

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said their rivals for the Champions League places had failed to capitalise on the “huge advantage” they were given after early cup exits allowed them to focus on the race for the top four.

Chelsea have reached the final of the FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup, as well as the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and have played more games this season than any other Premier League club.

Despite their intense schedule Chelsea have a strong grip on third place in the league, leading fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by five points and having played two games fewer. Arsenal and Manchester United are a further three points back.

Tottenham and Arsenal had ‘huge advantage’ over Chelsea after cup exits, says Tuchel

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Tuchel on Lukaku

18:25 , Michael Jones

Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, still believes that the team can be successful with Romelu Lukaku leading the line despite the forward struggling for goals throughout the season.

“We are not there anymore,” Tuchel said of the forward’s early-season form. “He doesn’t have the influence that he had then because it was a very promising start.

“There have been turbulences since then throughout this long period of time but we are trying everything and he has our support to reach this kind of level again. It’s in him and in us. I think he is still at the right place but there are things to improve from all of us so we will not give up.

“For us it’s clear that we can play with Romelu and we can be very strong with Romelu. We proved it, he proved it and he will prove it if he stays involved mentally and he stays involved in the situation. He can grow from it and come out stronger, it’s always like this.

“For sure it’s disappointing for him and not what we or what he expected at the moment but it’s not finished and we will not give in. We never give in with any players and he never gives in. We will push him as far as we can and as long as the player stays involved in the mentality that is needed to bring a team forward, he can still be a crucial player.”

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Arteta on Champions League

18:20 , Michael Jones

More from Mikel Arteta who outlined why finishing in the Champions League spots is so important for Arsenal to achieve this season.

“Champions League brings first of all the club much closer to where we want [to be].” said the Gunners’ boss, “To play in a competition that has a huge history and relation to our club.

“And secondly, obviously, it improves every situation, with the sponsors, financially, expectations, the capacity to grow our players and expose them into a different dimension of a competition and this is where we want to be, so it’s a game-changer.

“The Champions League puts you with the best teams in Europe and we definitely want to be there.”

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Arteta on Gunners’ form

18:15 , Michael Jones

Arsenal are going through a tough spell of results and the pressure is mounting on manager Mikel Arteta to achieve a positive outcome against Chelsea tonight. He spoke about the Gunners’ recent form saying:

“[It’s been] very difficult, because at this club it’s only about winning, and they were three different games, but with the same outcome.

“We are extremely unsatisfied with that, we know that, we’re hurting, but at the same time we know how we lost and what we merited from those games are not reflected in the amount of points that we taken.

“We have to understand why we lost those games as well, but there is nothing to look back on. Everything is still to play for, our ambition is still in tact, our desire is still in tact. We know the challenge ahead and we’re going to go for it.”

Mikel Arteta admits ‘risk’ of Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette’s contract decision

18:10 , Michael Jones

Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal took a risk in delaying contract talks with Alexandre Lacazette until the summer – with the captain now revealing he has opened discussions with other clubs.

Lacazette’s deal expires at the end of the current season and the 30-year-old currently looks set to leave the Emirates Stadium.

Speaking to Canal Plus earlier in the week, Lacazette said he was “in discussions with a lot of clubs”, adding he was “missing” playing in the Champions League and that he had “never cut contact” with Lyon, who he left to join Arsenal five years ago.

The comments could not come at a worse time for the Gunners, who face London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening with their Premier League top-four hopes floundering.

Arsenal have now lost their last three games – to Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton – and sit sixth ahead of their short hop across the capital.

Mikel Arteta admits ‘risk’ of Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette’s contract decision

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Early team news

18:05 , Michael Jones

Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic will be missing for two weeks after injuring his ankle against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and Callum Hudson-Odoi remains out of action with an Achilles issue, with Ben Chilwell another long-term absentee after knee surgery.

Arsenal will continue to monitor striker Alexandre Lacazette, who sat out the defeat at Southampton after testing positive for Covid but could return tonight. As could Takehiro Tomiyasu, who is nursing a calf issue, although manager Mikel Arteta thinks this game may be too soon for his return.

Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey are sidelined by knee and thigh problems respectively.

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Recent results

18:00 , Michael Jones

Chelsea responded from getting knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid (5-4 agg) with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace to reach the FA Cup final at the weekend. They’ll face Liverpool for the chance to lift the iconic trophy in May but beforehand have the opportunity to cement their place in Europe’s top competition next season. Last time out in the league the Blues battered Southampton 6-0 and will be hoping to do a similar job on Arsenal tonight.

The Gunners are in a serious dip of form. After going six league games unbeaten - including five victories in that run - they have won just once in their last five matches. Arsenal have only scored one goal so far in April and have slumped to defeats against Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton yet are still in the hunt for a top four finish and will draw level with fourth placed Spurs if they win this evening.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

17:51 , Michael Jones

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Chelsea’s derby clash with Arsenal as the two London sides go head-to-head in the Premier League this evening.

Thomas Tuchel’s men come into the game on the back of an impressive 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup where they reached the final and have the chance of lifting silverware this season. In the league they are five points clear of Tottenham (4th), have a firm grip on a place in the top four and have at least one game in hand on the teams closest to them in the table.

Arsenal on the other hand are rocking after three straight defeats has seen them surrender a spot in the Champions League places to their north London rivals. They are currently fifth in the league but have a game in hand on Spurs and can draw level with them on points if they manage to defeat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening. Manager Mikel Arteta is in need of a win and will be hoping to get one over the Gunners’ London rivals tonight.