Mikel Merino was the hero yet again for Arsenal, picking up a goal and an assist as the Premier League leaders saw off a stubborn Brentford side 2-0 at the Emirates to restore their five-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City. The Spain international, still playing as Mikel Arteta's makeshift striker, scored a fine header early on to open the scoring and then set up substitute Bukayo Saka in the closing stages to wrap up a crucial win for the Gunners.
Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has revealed that he has ended his long-running feud with Arsenal star Kai Havertz in bizarre circumstances. The beef started three years back when Havertz was still at Chelsea, and in the last few years the two players have often become embroiled in physical clashes during matches. However, Burn has now cleared the air with his long-time rival.
Famous presenter Piers Morgan has begged Arsenal to win the Premier League, and kick off an era of dominance that will see them become the Premier League's best-ever team. The Gunners have not won the title since 2004 under Arsene Wenger but Mikel Arteta's side are top of the league in December, and are dreaming of lifting silverware in May.
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that William Saliba and Leandro Trossard are major doubts for a London derby meeting with Brentford on Wednesday night. Both players missed the Gunners' 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the weekend. Arteta also delivered updates on Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes as they remain in the treatment room with more serious knocks.
New Balance have unveiled a stunning new boot which has been co-designed by Arsenal and England star Bukayo Saka. The American footwear company have launched the special edition '7egacy’ boot, featuring a custom colourway of the Furon v8, which the winger wore for the first time in the Gunners’ 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea on Sunday evening.
Arsenal might just have landed two of South America's most exciting young talents in Independiente del Valle's Quintero twins, Edwin and Holger. The duo, who are currently 16 years old, are set to complete their paperwork in London this week and will officially complete their switch from the Ecuadorian side in August 2027, when they will have turned 18.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has said he thinks Piero Hincapie should have been dismissed for a challenge on Trevoh Chalobah during Sunday's Premier League draw at Stamford Bridge. The Bayer Leverkusen loanee's elbow struck the England international under the eye, just minutes after Blues midfielder Moises Caicedo was shown a straight red for his late challenge on Mikel Merino.
Mikel Merino has shared his opinion on Moises Caicedo's red card offence in Arsenal's 1-1 draw away at Chelsea on Sunday. The Spaniard slammed Caicedo for what he felt was a "horrible challenge". Head referee Anthony Taylor originally gave the Ecuadorian a yellow card, but after being asked to review his decision by the VAR, he sent Caicedo off in the 38th minute.
Mikel Merino salvaged a 1-1 draw for Premier League leaders Arsenal, but they will feel like this was two-points dropped against a Chelsea side who were reduced to 10 men after just 38 minutes when Moises Caicedo was sent off. In an extremely feisty London derby that was littered with early yellow cards, it was no real surprise to see a dismissal, with Caicedo seeing red for a brutal tackle on Merino seven minutes before the interval.
Join us from 3.30pm GMT on Sunday for live updates from the crunch Premier League title clash between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Featuring commentary, highlights clips, GIFs, Memes and much more, GOAL's the place to be to follow all the action as Enzo Maresca and Mikel Arteta's sides slug it out in west London!
William Saliba will not play for Arsenal against Chelsea in a top of the table clash on Sunday afternoon. The defender picked up a knock in training and will not be fit enough to play for the Gunners at Stamford Bridge. With Gabriel also out injured, Mikel Arteta has entrusted Pierro Hincapie and Christhian Mosquera as his centre-half pairing for the London derby.
Arsenal midfield star Martin Zubimendi is blown away by a Gunners team-mate who has 'surprised' him the most. Zubimendi joined Arsenal this summer, 12 months after he rejected a move to the reigning Premier League champions Liverpool. The Spain international has had an immediate impact on Mikel Arteta's side, who are leading the title race this year and have been in exceptional form thus far.
Out of almost nowhere, Chelsea have emerged as Arsenal's closest challengers for the Premier League title this season as the London rivals prepare to lock horns at Stamford Bridge this weekend - but is this another false dawn? After all, Enzo Maresca's side found themselves in a similar position midway through 2024-25 only to fall away dramatically in the second half of the campaign. Ahead of Sunday's showdown, though, there is reason to believe the Blues could have staying power this time around.
Bukayo Saka made his engagement Instagram official as the Arsenal star and long-term girlfriend Tolami Benson showed off an enormous ring on social media. The Arsenal and England winger posted a series of black-and-white photographs showing the pair celebrating the moment in a luxury London hotel, including a striking close-up of Benson’s new ring.
Former Spain star Gaizka Mendieta believes that Martin Zubimendi is becoming just as important to Arsenal as Rodri has been for years at Manchester City. The Gunners completed a £52 million move for the Real Sociedad midfielder over the summer, despite stiff competition from Real Madrid. Now, only being at the club for a few months, he is already being hailed as a vital component to their success.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Gabriel Jesus is nearing a first-team return after 10 months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The Brazilian has been working his way back to fitness but hasn't featured for the Gunners since January. However, after playing in a behind-closed-doors match this week, he is inching nearer to becoming available once again.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has revealed that the intense protests and backlash over the summer signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea sparked a fierce determination in the 23-year-old. Having only just returned from an extended injury layoff, Madueke is beginning to win over the Arsenal faithful, with Arteta admitting he made it his personal mission to support the winger through the challenging period.
Former Manchester United forward Louis Saha believes that although Viktor Gyokeres "has done well so far" since making a big-money move to Arsenal from Sporting CP over the summer, he "has had it easy in some ways." Saha has urged the Swedish international to prove his mettle "when the pressure in on", claiming that he "needs to be the final piece of the puzzle" for Mikel Arteta and co.
Peter Crouch has hit out at Liverpool' defensive frailty after they lost another game in midweek. The Reds fell to a disappointing 4-1 home loss to PSV in the Champions League to extend their losing streak by three-goal margins to three matches. In that time, Liverpool have conceded 10 goals, and Crouch took aim at the defending champions as they look to rescue their season this weekend.
A shocking stat has suggested that Chelsea have no chance of beating Arsenal in the Premier League title showdown. The Blues arrive at the Emirates on Sunday with an opportunity to cut Arsenal’s lead at the Premier League summit, but history and numbers paint a grim picture for Enzo Maresca’s resurgent side, who have only beaten their rivals once in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge in the last seven years.
Mikel Arteta has shared his belief that Chelsea deserve to be in the Premier League title race, ahead of Arsenal's showdown with the Blues on Sunday. The Spanish manager reiterated his admiration for Enzo Maresca's side, sharing that he enjoys watching them play in his pre-match press conference. The Gunners head to Stamford Bridge with a six point lead over the London rivals.
Manchester City and Arsenal are reportedly monitoring the progress of Elche midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza, who is often compared to Barcelona's Pedri for his style in the middle of the park. La Liga giants Real Madrid are also keen on the 20-year-old, with a transfer battle expected to heat up for the Spaniard heading into the winter and summer windows.
Mikel Arteta has been tipped to become a “legend like Arsene Wenger” as Arsenal push for a long-awaited Premier League crown, with former team-mate Louis Saha insisting the Spaniard finally has the strongest squad in England. Saha believes Arteta’s mentality, maturity and tactical growth now put him on the brink of matching the Frenchman’s legacy, if he can turn dominance into a title.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has issued an injury update on star player Cole Palmer ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal. The England international has had an injury-hit season so far, with the playmaker missing a big chunk of the season from a persistent groin issue. Most recently, he has been sidelined with a fractured toe but Palmer is now on the cusp of being back fit for the Blues.
Vincent Kompany has fiercely rejected criticism of Manuel Neuer after Bayern Munich's 3-1 Champions League defeat to Arsenal, insisting the goalkeeper made no mistake despite two high-profile moments in London. With Bayern’s unbeaten run gone and pressure rising, the coach pushed back against growing scrutiny, while preparing his side to reset immediately in the Bundesliga.