ArsenalSummary
Generated byArsenal enter Sunday's London derby against Chelsea carrying genuine momentum but also real uncertainty. The defending Premier League champions sit third with six points from two games, their most recent result a 1-0 win at Aston Villa, yet the mood around the club is far from settled as Mikel Arteta faces the biggest test of his title defence so far.
The summer transfer window has left a complicated picture in attack. Gabriel Martinelli completed a £60 million move to Al-Hilal after being frozen out by Arteta, and his farewell message conspicuously omitted his manager, signalling a rift that did little to project calm. Gabriel Jesus departed too, with Barcelona securing him on cut-price terms. Arsenal failed to land primary targets Vinicius Jr, Julian Alvarez, and Morgan Rogers, the latter joining Chelsea in a £117 million deal that has frustrated former Gunners including Ian Wright and Theo Walcott. Christos Tzolis arrived as the sole attacking addition, a recruitment outcome Arteta has publicly defended as ambitious, though pundits remain unconvinced.
Compounding those concerns, Arteta is managing a double injury setback heading into the Chelsea fixture, with two first-team players absent from Thursday's training. Chelsea themselves may be without vice-captain Moises Caicedo, who is a major doubt after a second injury setback in a fortnight.
Arteta has spoken respectfully of Xabi Alonso's work at Chelsea, particularly praising the signing of Emiliano Martinez as a smart piece of business. With both sides on six points and Chelsea arriving at the Emirates on Sunday, the result will carry early weight in shaping the title conversation.
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.