+18 | Play Responsibly | T&C's Apply | Commercial Content | Publishing Principles | What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit.
ArsenalSummary
Generated byArsenal arrive at the Chelsea derby carrying real momentum but also genuine uncertainty about their attacking options after a summer that reshaped the squad more dramatically than Mikel Arteta has publicly admitted. The defending Premier League champions sit second in the table with six points from two games, including a 1-0 win at Aston Villa on August 31, but the transfer window has left a visible gap up front.
Gabriel Martinelli's £60m departure to Al-Hilal was the most striking exit, completed after the Brazilian was frozen out of the squad and followed by a farewell message that conspicuously omitted any mention of Arteta. Gabriel Jesus left for Barcelona on a cut-price deal, and the club also failed to land primary targets Vinicius Jr, Julian Alvarez, and Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea for £117m instead. Greek winger Christos Tzolis, signed for £34m, is the sole attacking addition, and while Rio Ferdinand has called him the signing of the summer, pundits including Ian Wright and Jamie Carragher have been openly critical of the club's business.
Arteta has pushed back, insisting the recruitment strategy was ambitious and fully delivered on its goals. That argument faces its first serious test on Sunday when Chelsea visit the Emirates, with Arteta also managing a double injury concern after two key players missed Thursday's preparations. The derby carries extra weight given Chelsea's strong summer spending and the early-season title picture already taking shape.
August 2026
Standings
Frequently asked questions
A group of workers from the Woolwich Arsenal Armanent Factory, who called themselves Dial Square, formed a football team in 1886. They would later rename themselves to Royal Arsenal in the same year. In 1893, the club was renamed to Woolwich Arsenal, before finally being named just Arsenal in 1919, six years after they moved to Highbury.
American billionaire Enos Stanley Kroenke is the owner of Arsenal, purchasing the club via Arsenal Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE).
The Emirates Stadium is the name of Arsenal's stadium. It has been the team's home ground since 2006, replacing Highbury, which served as Arsenal's home venue from 1913.
The Emirates Stadium has a capacity of 60,704 and is among the UK's biggest football venues.
Arsenal have won 48 trophies till date, including 13 league titles and a record 14 FA Cups.
Arsenal have 13 English top flight titles to their name, making them the third-most successful team behind Man Utd and Liverpool. They, however, won their last title over two decades ago.
London-born Irish defender David O'Leary sits at the top of the list for most Arsenal appearances in history. O'Leary spent 18 years at the club and made 722 appearances in all competitions, ahead of Tony Adams, George Armstrong, and Lee Dixon.
Thierry Henry is Arsenal's leading goalscorer of all-time with 228 goals in 377 games. No other Arsenal player has scored over 200 goals for the club, with Ian Wright sitting in second place (185 goals in 288 games).
Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Dennis Bergkamp, Mesut Ozil, Robert Pires, and Robin van Persie are among the popular footballing names to have played for Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery, George Graham, and Herbert Chapman are among the biggest names to have been in charge of Arsenal throughout their notable history.
Arsenal have a pretty unique nickname, called The Gunners. This nickname is a reference to the club's origins in the late 19th century, when a group of workers from the Royal Arsenal armanent factory in Woolwich formed the club. That's also the reason why the Arsenal badge includes a cannon.