Chelsea vs Arsenal

This weekend the Blues entertain the side currently at the top of the Premier League table. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton ...

A private in the Hampshire Regiment, he was the only serving Chelsea FC first-teamer to perish in World War One, and one of the last professional footballers to be claimed by the conflict. Until Wednesday, no other Switzerland international had figured for the Blues since Willi Steffen’s shuddering tackles wowed fans in the 1940s. The Ivorian scored twice either side of pressuring Thomas Vermaelen into an own goal in a 3-0 victory for the table-topping Blues. ‘Gatling gun’ George Hilsdon ensured the hosts took the honours by two goals to one, with Woolwich Arsenal’s Satterthwaite offering a consolation. Mikel Arteta’s side play on the front foot and commit bodies forward, aiming to find possession behind defences. There are no quicker starters than Arsenal, who have found the net 11 times in the opening 30 minutes (seven of those coming on the road) – and so far without reply. Leading goalscorer Raheem Sterling has hopefully hit a rich vein after breaking his eight-game drought in midweek. Last season Chilly was out from November to May and James missed January and February. Both Sunday’s combatants were involved in midweek European ties at home, the Blues 24 hours earlier than the visitors. That one ended in a 2-1 Chelsea victory, and this is the 205th occasion across all competitions, making the former Plumstead outfit our most-played adversary. This was previously the schedule for Mikel Arteta's team in September at Brentford and they led 2-0 after 30 minutes before winning 3-0. The morning after a traditional night of celebration and pyrotechnics in the UK, supporters of the Blues and Arsenal will be hoping the fireworks spill over into London’s longest-running top-flight derby at Stamford Bridge.