This is how champions are supposed to play and, although the Arsenal home support have not seen a team defend their place at the apex of English league football for two decades, they knew it when they saw it.
The chase was on for Mikel Arteta's team within two minutes when Morgan Rogers, the man who might have moved to Arsenal this summer, put his new club Chelsea in the lead. So unfolded a thrilling 100 minutes of Premier League competition. Arsenal were the better team in terms of ambition and attack even if one could not discount Chelsea until the very last moment.
Others might have crumbled. That Chelsea did not will give Xabi Alonso hope for a team that did not feature the injured Moisés Caicedo and is now without the departed Enzo Fernández. Yet he will also recognise that his childhood friend from San Sebastián in the other dugout has created a side that treated the game, and their place in it, with an urgency that looks different. The first two minutes might have been ragged for Arsenal but after that they did not let the game happen to them.
Instead, Arteta's players drove this contest, and the sequence of chances that came and went was dizzying at times. Their best players scored the two goals. First Kai Havertz, who now has three in four games this season, and then the captain Martin Odegaard who dispatched what would be the winner. Odegaard looked like the veteran of a title-winning season, and a deep run in the World Cup – an accomplished, shrewd performer in a midfield that was fought over ferociously all afternoon.
As for the game's defining moment – it would be hard to overlook the feint from Havertz for the winning goal. It deceived the Chelsea players around him and created the channel for Christos Tzolis's cross to reach Odegaard. His goal was a close copy, in style and personnel, of the one he scored against Manchester City in the Community Shield but it was crowned by Havertz's bluff. He shaped to take the ball and let it run under his foot at the last moment.
This was Chelsea's first defeat in three – leaving only Arsenal and City with nine points from their first three games – although the seven goals conceded is the standout. For all the jet fuel in their attack they keep conceding. This was a much more exacting test than Fulham and Brighton previously, but even so. Alonso has introduced his preferred back three, often a back five, and it is a work in progress.
Arsenal have set the standard in that regard and they were uncompromising again. They did not replicate the errors that led to the Rogers goal and they push the limits at all times. Gabriel Magalhães kicked Emi Martínez in the head competing for a ball in the Chelsea area. Myles Lewis-Skelly went after João Pedro. Ben White and Roméo Lavia saw things differently in the first half. This Arsenal team does not shy away from those confrontations in the way their predecessors often did.
In fact, it was notable just how furiously Rogers reacted to Declan Rice when the two England team-mates converged as Rogers charged off to join a late counter-attack. The bad feeling lingered even after the game when Rogers seemed unwilling to forgive. Rice had applied the minimum contact and the maximum cynicism to stop Rogers while the attention of referee Chris Kavanagh was elsewhere.
All that ringcraft was one thing, but it should be said that Arsenal were excellent in setting an attacking tempo that will be hell for any team to live with – especially at the Emirates. Havertz is now Arteta's centre-forward of choice in the absence of a big summer acquisition. Viktor Gyokeres made a late substitute's appearance – his first minutes of the season. The hierarchy is clear: last season's great goalscoring hope is now back-up.
"Exceptional" was how Arteta described his team's response to the early Rogers goal. They had twice failed to clear the ball in their own area when first Maxence Lacroix and then Jorrel Hato created the chance. Rogers' right foot half-volley was not struck on the full, but it was placed perfectly inside the post with the necessary bounce and skip to mean David Raya never got behind it.
Arteta's squad runs deep enough that in the closing stages he could relieve his midfield with two Spanish World Cup-winning substitutes – Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino. Then there was Noni Madueke on for Bukayo Saka, understudy and first-choice for club and country. This was not Saka's day in the way it has been in the past, although a very promising shot of his was stopped by Martinez in the first half.
In the pounding that Chelsea took after they went into the lead, Riccardo Calafiori had an equaliser within minutes that was disallowed by VAR on an offside call. The left-back was the third in sequence to try to force the ball over the line from a Rice free-kick. Calafiori was successful, but the second of his team-mates to try, Ezri Konsa, had been offside when he connected.
For the equaliser it was Havertz, accelerating cautiously at first and then full-on with his left foot from the right-side. Odegaard was well-placed to prevent Lacroix getting close but in truth the challenge never had the force required. Havertz's shot was not totally convincing but then neither was Martinez's attempt to save it – every bit as uncertain as Raya for the Chelsea goal.
Chelsea had profited from the quick ball out to their right where Calafiori was often out of position in the left-back slot and Pedro Neto could cut in on his left foot. That seemed to be the sacrifice that Arteta was prepared to make in keeping the hammer on Chelsea. If Neto had not struck the post in one such escape in time added on at the end of the first half it might have been different.
Odegaard struck what would be the winner early in the first half, and although Chelsea fizzed enough in the later stages it always felt like Arsenal's game. Raya came into his own in the 89th minute when Estevao, a substitute, cut in from the right and hit a fierce shot that the goalkeeper pushed over. It was close in some ways – and in others not at all.
07:05pm
"It hurts. It hurts because a defeat has to hurt. It has been a very intense game with different moments for everything. We had chances to equalise. In the first half as well a couple of chances. Never happy if you lose.
"After we scored, there were 15-20 minutes where we had to defend too much and we were struggling a bit to get control. We then had better spells with the ball. Overall, it was a very tight, very intense game. We could do better with the second goal to conceded too early. The guys gave everything, tried everything. It has to hurt.
"It is about preparing the best possible way to compete the best possible way. You need to control the overloads on the right side. It is part of the game to have these actions. We continue. It is game three and this is going to be a long, long ride."
07:01pm
06:58pm
06:55pm
"I think the worrying thing for everybody else already is that [William] Saliba, who is genuinely world-class arguably, probably the best centre-back in world football, has not played a minute of football so far this season. And it does not look like anyone can score against them.
"There is a massive gulf between both teams; their XIs and the squads. It will take Chelsea a while to get to that level, if they can get there. But I thought Arsenal were fantastic today. We do not normally see Arsenal in these games, end-to-end, because they very rarely go behind. They are so strong defensively they do not need to get involved in those games.
"They still did not look like they were going to give too much away, even though they were bombing forwards and putting so many bodies in the opposition box."
06:52pm
"It was a massive game with a tough opponent. It was really hard for us; we got there in the end. Our mentality is to keep fighting. Conceding early was not ideal but we reacted really well. We played well in the second half and got our reward. We showed our quality today. The result reflected that."
On his relationship with Kai Havertz:
" He is a really smart player and moves so well. He takes defenders attention. When he makes the run and I come from behind I am always free. It was a brilliant goal."
Martin Odegaard's goal won Arsenal all three points - Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
06:48pm
"We knew Arsenal were the better team and they have proven that in this game. The question before today was, how close are Chelsea? And [Xabi] Alonso will be proud of what he has seen. There are obviously improvements to be made, but they gave it a right good go. A lot of very good things and they will be frustrated and disappointed, but they may potentially look back on this game as a good moment rather than as bad as it may feel right now."
06:45pm
September 9: Chelsea vs Leeds (League Cup)
September 12: Chelsea vs Hull (Premier League)
September 18: Brentford vs Chelsea (Premier League)
October 10: Chelsea vs Bournemouth (Premier League)
October 17: Everton vs Chelsea (Premier League)
Xabi Alonso suffers his first defeat as Chelsea boss - Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
06:40pm
September 9: Napoli vs Arsenal (Champions League)
September 12: Sunderland vs Arsenal (Premier League)
September 15: Ipswich vs Arsenal (League Cup)
September 19: Brighton vs Arsenal (Premier League)
October 10: Arsenal vs Leeds (Premier League)
Arsenal do not play at home again until after the international break.
Arsenal are three from three in the league so far - Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
06:36pm
Friday:Ipswich 0 Liverpool 2
Saturday:
Newcastle 2 Bournemouth 2
Brentford 1 Sunderland 1
Brighton 1 Leeds 1
Fulham 2 Crystal Palace 3
Manchester City 1 Coventry 0
Nottingham Forest 0 Tottenham 0
Hull City 0 Aston Villa 0
Today:
Everton 2 Manchester United 2
Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1
06:31pm
Possession:Arsenal 55%-45% Chelsea
Shots:16-13
Shots on target:9-5
Corners:5-3
Touches in opposition box:44-25
06:27pm
The final whistle is blown at the Emirates and Arsenal maintain their 100% record through three games as they have beaten Chelsea 2-1. They were 1-0 down inside the opening two minutes but goals from Havertz and Odegaard have led them to victory. Chelsea suffer their first competitive defeat under Xabi Alonso.
06:24pm
Pedro's cross from the right has too much on it and Chavarria cannot head it back across goal. Chelsea's last chance might have been that Estevao effort which was brilliantly saved by Raya.
06:22pm
Madueke is brought on late for Saka.
There will be four added minutes.
06:21pm
That is a stunning save from Raya that may have preserved Arsenal's victory. Estevao cuts in from the right and curls one towards the top corner. It looks set for the net but somehow Raya makes a fantastic save to deny Estevao.
06:19pm
Chelsea are bringing on Welbeck for Rogers, who is jeered by the Arsenal fans. Welbeck comes on with a note, that he gives to his captain James.
06:16pm
Arsenal have lost a bit of their composure and structure. I suspect that's why Arteta has turned to Mikel Merino. He screamed at his bench immediately after a messy passage of play, and Merino emerged about 20 seconds later. Merino is very much the "sensible adult" sort of player, who should calm things down. Although he hasn't yet.
England team-mates Declan Rice and Morgan Rogers were really going at it there. Rogers absolutely furious with Rice tripping him up. "You should have signed for a big club," sing the Arsenal fans at Rogers...
06:16pmVideo
It has kicked off. Rogers is cynically tripped by Rice but the referee somehow does not see it. Rogers is incensed and marches over to Rice, who has massively got away with one there. Rice knew exactly what he was doing as he deliberately trips Rogers. That is a nasty from Rice, who avoids a booking, yet Rogers is shown a yellow card. That is frankly dreadful refereeing.
06:13pm
Estevao is brought on for Chelsea in place of Neto.
06:12pm
Pedro wins a corner off Gabriel out on the left in front of the travelling Chelsea fans. Gusto's delivery to the back post is caught at the second attempt by Raya.
06:09pm
Double change for Arsenal as Gyokeres and Merino come on for Havertz and Odegaard.
06:08pm
Gusto's cross from the right is put behind by Konsa for a Chelsea corner out on the right. Neto clips it in but Arsenal head away. James then opts to shoot from range and his effort is blocked by Gabriel. That shot looked to be going on target but Raya may have had it covered anyway.
06:04pm
Rice's corner from the left is flicked on by Havertz at the near post and the last touch comes off James for another Arsenal corner on the other side. Arsenal take it short and fell to get into the danger zone but do win themselves another corner.
Saka delivers it into a dangerous area and the ball is flicked, looking like it is going into the Chelsea net, but Martinez makes the save whilst on the ground.
06:01pm
Havertz plays a first-time flick into the path of Saka, whose first-time effort looking for the far corner is saved well by Martinez to his right.
06:01pm
Odegaard feeds a clever pass into the Chelsea penalty area to pick out Zubimendi, whose shot is blocked.
05:58pm
Double change for Arsenal as Zubimendi and Hincapie replace Lewis-Skelly and Calafiori.
05:55pm
Palmer gets a shot away from the right side of the box but it is straight at Raya. Chelsea are just starting to wrestle back some momentum.
05:53pm
Gusto has only just come on but has a chance. The ball is laid to him on the edge of the box and he hits it first time but his effort goes over the bar.
05:52pm
The momentum is certainly with Arsenal right now so Xabi Alonso is making a double change. Gusto and Chavarria replace Lavia and Hato. With Gusto coming on for Lavia, Chelsea do not actually have any out-and-out central midfielders on the pitch.
05:51pm
Tzolis is the first Arsenal player into the book today. He is brought down by Lacroix and then demands that the Chelsea defender be booked, waving an imaginary card, and is then shown a yellow himself. Lacroix was also booked for the original foul.
05:48pm
Two former teammates challenge each other as Konsa slides in to make a perfectly-timed challenge on Rogers. The home crowd loved that tackle from Konsa, who won that tackle fair and square.
05:47pmAnalysis
Chelsea made Odegaard angry about two minutes before that goal. The Arsenal captain, who is a mild-mannered guy, was really unhappy with a tackle by James. They were exchanging some verbals afterwards, before Odegaard then ran away from James to score.
05:46pmAnalysis
That's five goals Chelsea have conceded in just over a game-and-a-half since Emi Martinez took over in goal. In fairness, that Odegaard goal wasn't his fault.
05:45pm
Arsenal were forced to respond when Chelsea scored early but now it is on the visitors to see how they respond after falling behind.
05:42pmKey moments • Goals • Video
For the first time this afternoon, Arsenal lead and it is a quality goal. Tzolis receives it out on the left and cuts inside onto his right. He plays the ball inside towards Havertz, who is in space on the edge of the Chelsea box. It is really intelligent from Havertz, who dummies it to take away Fofana and allows the ball to run through to Odegaard, who takes one touch before firing past Martinez.
Arsenal just scored the same goal they scored against Manchester City in the Community Shield. Tzolis into Odegaard, low and fast.
05:38pm
As it stands, Manchester City will be the only team with a 100% record after three games.
05:37pm
We are back under way at the Emirates.
05:31pmAnalysis
I think Chelsea are now 19 Premier League games without keeping a clean sheet, dating back to last season.
05:29pmAnalysis
A few Chelsea players were having a moan at referee Christopher Kavanagh as they went off for half-time. But Alonso's players need to calm down and keep their cool. There were signs the Blues' old disciplinary problems could rear their head again with Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer being booked. Romeo Lavia also squared up to Ben White for no real reason. Chelsea have to keep 11 players on the pitch.
05:26pm
Possession:Arsenal 58%-42% Chelsea
Shots:10-6
Shots on target:6-3
Corners:2-0
Touches in opposition box:26-13
05:24pmAnalysis
A really enjoyable half of football, even if it was slowed down a little in the last few minutes by a series of niggly fouls. Arsenal are the better team here but Chelsea are definitely dangerous. That Neto shot off the post was evidence of how quickly they can hurt the Arsenal defence.
05:20pm
The first half is brought to an end and it is 1-1 going into the break at the Emirates.
05:19pmAnalysis
Chelsea hit the post late on in the half. Chelsea counter from inside their own half and Pedro whips a ball first time down the right channel to pick out the run of Neto. The Portuguese forward drives at Gabriel inside the Arsenal box and cuts inside onto his preferred left foot. His effort comes back off the far post and Chelsea were inches away from retaking the lead.
That left side of the Arsenal defence again. Wide open for Neto to run into the space. Chelsea looking for the early ball every time.
05:18pm
Tensions are boiling over as Lavia and White come to blows. As Lavia shepherds the ball out of play, White threw himself to ground and wanted a free-kick. Lavia is not impressed by White's antics and lets him know about it.
Tensions running high - Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
05:16pm
Is Palmer in some trouble? Raya catches a free-kick into his box and gets Arsenal going on the counter with a long ball forward. With Havertz getting away from him, Palmer brings him down and takes the yellow. There was another covering defender, hence why it was just a yellow.
There will be four added minutes.
05:11pm
As we approach half-time, there have been 15 shots in total from both sides in the game with nine of those being on target.
05:07pm
Chelsea win it just inside the Arsenal half after good defensive work from Lavia and Pedro then spots Raya off his line. The Chelsea forward therefore opts to shoot from a long way out but drags his effort wide.
05:04pm
White and Havertz exchange a neat one-two down Arsenal's right, with the latter clipping the ball to the back post. Lavia, with Saka right behind him, heads away well under pressure.
05:02pm
That is a decent opportunity for Rogers to get his second of the game. Pedro lays it off to him on the left side of the box and Rogers tries to curl one into the far corner but it goes wide.
05:01pmAnalysis
Tremendous game at the Emirates. Both teams attacking one another. Chelsea have a lot of space with Pedro Neto on the right and keep using that diagonal ball. Once again, though, they look suspect in defence. The Havertz equaliser could have been stopped twice, but Chelsea defence just did not react. Fofana let Havertz past and Odegaard set a bit of a screen that stopped Lacroix getting close.
04:57pmAnalysis
Former Chelsea player scores against former Arsenal goalkeeper. Interesting reaction from the Arsenal players to that Havertz goal: most of them ran straight back to their own half. They want to get on with this game. Suggests they can sense Chelsea's vulnerability.
04:56pmKey moments • Goals • Video
Against his former club, Havertz gets the equaliser but again there will be an offside check. It appears he is onside as he receives the ball on the right. Havertz then drives across the face of the penalty area and shoots towards the near post. Martinez should make the save but can only palm it into the corner of the net. The goal stands and it is 1-1 at the Emirates.
I think we'd be talking about Robert Sanchez if he had let that Havertz shot in at his near post. That wasn't great from Martinez and Arsenal fans will love reminding him of it. Great game, this.
04:54pm
James decides to shoot from range and he strikes it really well, forcing Raya into a good save. Arsenal then counter and it ends with Odegaard having a shot blocked. Should Havertz have shot himself rather than lay it off for Odegaard?
Back come Chelsea and Pedro nearly gets on the end of a cross from Palmer.
04:52pm
Palmer, who has been quiet so far, receives it on the edge of the box and he is afforded too much space. He decides to shoot and looks to curl it into the far corner but Raya gets down to his right to make the save. He had to make sure he did not spill it as Pedro was lurking.
04:51pm
Tzolis cross from the left having been found by a great ball from Odegaard finds Havertz near the edge of the box. Fofana makes a crucial block to deny Havertz but Arsenal have the corner out on the left. Once more, Chelsea leave plenty of players up the pitch and Fofana heads away.
04:48pm
Odegaard works it to Saka on the right side of the box and the latter strikes towards goal, forcing Martinez into a decent save.
04:45pm
Pedro is the first player into the book.
04:44pmKey moments
The goal will not stand. Konsa was offside before Calafiori scored so Chelsea remain 1-0 up.
04:42pm
The hosts equalise with a set-piece. Pedro should clear Rice's free-kick but completely misses it. The ball comes to Gabriel, whose shot is saved by Martinez. Konsa then hits the post before a mad scramble ensues. Calafiori then forces the ball into the net. However, VAR are checking the goal...
04:42pm
Hato brings Saka down not far outside the Chelsea penalty area and both Odegaard and Rice are standing over it. Chelsea have just three men in the wall. Rice is going to take...
04:39pmAnalysis
Arsenal have a corner out on the right yet Chelsea, who are the ones defending, leave four players up the pitch rather than in their own box. Is that madness or a masterstroke? The delivery from Saka goes beyond the back post, where it is then headed back across goal. Saka gets to it and then goes down but he was offside anyway.
It looked like Chelsea left four attackers upfield for that Arsenal corner. That's one way of reducing the traffic in the six-yard box.
Chelsea have now scored inside the first five minutes of each of their three Premier League games this season. Has that ever happened before? Thanks OptaJoe:
04:37pm
Fofana brings down Havertz with a rather silly challenge and Arsenal have a free-kick out on the right, with the chance to send it into the Chelsea box. Odegaard drills it low in towards the near post and picks out the run of Calafiori. The Italian's effort is saved by Martinez's legs and then a mad scramble for the ball ensues. It is difficult to see where the ball is and ends up going out for a goal kick. Martinez stays down and is receiving treatment to his head. It comes as a result of Gabriel's boot flying into Martinez's head. Should VAR be taking a look at that one? They clear it but Gabriel might count himself lucky that a review for violent conduct was not called.
04:32pmKey moments • Goals • Video
Not even two minutes into the game, Chelsea take the lead and it is a man Arsenal wanted over the summer who scores against them. Rogers, on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area, watches the ball onto his foot and volleys first time into the bottom left corner. A fine finish from Rogers and Chelsea have the perfect start. How will Arsenal respond?
The first goal Arsenal concede this season is scored by the first player they wanted to sign in the summer.
Wow. That had echoes of Eze scoring against Tottenham last season. Just as Spurs had missed out to Arsenal for Eze, Arsenal missed out to Chelsea for Rogers. So what happens? Of course, he scores. After just two minutes. I'm also pretty sure Rogers imitated the Thierry Henry celebration next to the corner flag just to rub salt into Arsenal's wounds.
First blood to Morgan Rogers and Chelsea - John Walton/PA
04:30pm
The two bosses, who have known each other since they were children, share a warm embrace before kick-off.
We are under way at the Emirates. Both sides have 100% records coming into this one but at least one of those will fall today.
04:27pm
Perhaps some early mind games from Arsenal as Chelsea were left waiting in the tunnel for a little while before Arsenal eventually emerged. Eventually both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are moments away from kick-off at the Emirates. Here is a reminder of how the two sides line up this afternoon:
Arsenal:Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Tzolis.
Substitutes: Kepa, Hincapie, Eze, Gyokeres, Madueke, Merino, Zubimendi, Guimaraes, Dowman.
Chelsea:Martinez; Acheampong, Lacroix, Fofana; Neto, James, Lavia, Hato; Palmer, Pedro, Rogers.
Substitutes: Penders, Colwill, Gusto, Chavarriia, Barco, Quenda, Gittens, Estevao, Welbeck.
04:22pm
04:19pm
04:16pm
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has confirmed that the Ecuadorian midfielder was close but Alonso says it was not worth the risk at this stage of the season. He also confirmed that Levi Colwill being on the bench today was down to fitness.
04:09pm
The first game of the afternoon has just concluded at the Hill Dickinson and Everton have snatched a point at the death against Manchester United, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles scoring a screamer on his Everton debut with almost the last kick of the game to make it 2-2. You can follow the reaction to that game right here .
04:05pm
INS:
Marco Palestra ⇠ Atalanta, £42m
Morgan Rogers ⇠ Aston Villa, £117m
Maxence Lacroix ⇠ Crystal Palace, £51m
Danny Welbeck ⇠ Brighton, Undisclosed
Jordan Henderson ⇠ Brentford, Free
Emi Martinez ⇠ Aston Villa, £7.5m
OUTS:
Andrey Santos ⇢ Manchester United, £50m
Marc Cucurella ⇢ Real Madrid, £50m
Trevoh Chalobah ⇢ Como, £30m
Liam Delap ⇢ Nottingham Forest, £50m
Nicolas Jackson ⇢ Aston Villa, £65m
Enzo Fernandez ⇢ Manchester City, £125m
Chelsea fans, how would you rate your window out of 10? Have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
04:01pm
Arsenal fans outside the stadium before the match - Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
03:58pm
It is not always particularly significant when a manager says his player can be one of the best in the world. But it is probably worth taking notice when Xabi Alonso articulates his belief that Reece James can be one of the best midfielders on the planet.
For Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Spain, Alonso was one of the finest midfielders of his generation and also played with some of the best midfielders in the world. So the Chelsea manager knows a thing or two about what it takes.
James has long been considered – when fit – one of the best right-backs in the world. But it had already been evident before the final 24 hours of the transfer window that the Chelsea player would spend a lot of time in midfield under Alonso.
Reece James comes into Chelsea's starting XI this afternoon - Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
03:53pm
INS:
Illan Meslier ⇠ Leeds, Free
Christos Tzolis ⇠ Club Brugge, £34m
Bruno Guimaraes ⇠ Newcastle, £75m
Ezri Konsa ⇠ Aston Villa, £50m
Piero Hincapie ⇠ Bayer Leverkusen, £35m
OUTS:
Leandro Trossard ⇢ Besiktas, £18m
Christian Norgaard ⇢ Everton, £7m
Gabriel Jesus ⇢ Barcelona, £8.5m
Ethan Nwaneri ⇢ Dortmund, Loan
Gabriel Martinelli ⇢ Al-Hilal, £55m
Arsenal fans, did your club do enough during the transfer window? If not, what would you have liked to have seen your club get? Have your say in he comments section at the bottom of the blog.
03:48pm
03:42pm
Bukayo Saka has arrived at a career crossroads. We will soon learn whether he is destined to be a good Arsenal player or if he will elevate himself to the level of Premier League, Champions League and England great.
This weekend Saka turns 25, an age when footballers typically enter their peak. Although his legendary status at Arsenal is secure as a title winner, the reaction to the champions' transfer window suggests there is a general feeling that he can and should produce more to earn "world class" status.
Mikel Arteta is short of such an attacker. He spent the summer investigating whether players of Vinícius Júnior and Julián Alvarez's calibre might add much-needed stardust to his front three. Failure to secure a big-name forward has led many to conclude that Arsenal's title defence will be in the mould of their impressive, but cautious 1-0 victory at Aston Villa .
03:37pm
03:33pm
It is a relationship that Arteta has previously described as "deeper than just a friendship". It started with skateboards and sand, as they made the daily journey to the beach to play tennis and football, and continued into their adult lives. When Alonso was playing for Liverpool and Arteta for Everton, there was a time when they both had flats on the fourth floor of the same building in the Albert Dock.
It is extraordinary that these two individuals – born just a few months apart – now find themselves in positions of such significance in English football. But it is not a coincidence. Throughout their lives, they have driven each other forward.
"This kid, he was maybe even crazier than me about football," Alonso once said of Arteta and their shared childhood. "He was a little bit younger than me and my friends – just a few months maybe. But you know how you always push your 'little friends' at that age? Well, we tried, but he was a competitive monster."
03:28pm
Arsenal:Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Tzolis.
Substitutes: Kepa, Hincapie, Eze, Gyokeres, Madueke, Merino, Zubimendi, Guimaraes, Dowman.
Chelsea:Martinez; Acheampong, Lacroix, Fofana; Neto, James, Lavia, Hato; Palmer, Joao Pedro, Rogers.
Substitutes: Penders, Colwill, Gusto, Chavarriia, Barco, Quenda, Gittens, Estevao, Welbeck.
03:25pm
How chaotic will Arsenal allow the game to become today? Both of Chelsea's league matches this season have been remarkably open, to the point of silliness. Arsenal do not usually allow such things to happen on their watch. They are far too sensible for that. But, having seen Brighton create so many chances at Stamford Bridge last week, Arteta may fancy his team to do some serious damage to Chelsea's damage if the match opens up.
03:21pm
There's a slight surprise in Chelsea's line-up with Levi Colwill dropping to the bench and Josh Acheampong coming in. That could point to Alonso changing to a back four with Acheampong at right-back and Pedro Neto playing further forwards as a right winger. Chelsea only managed 25 per cent of possession against Brighton, so is this an attempt to get more of the ball? As expected, Moises Caicedo is not fit so Reece James and Romeo Lavia will need to play well.
03:15pm
03:15pm
03:12pm
A personal opinion that no one asked for: Arsenal should have signed Joao Pedro last summer, when the Brazilian joined Chelsea for £60m. Arsenal bought Viktor Gyokeres instead, in a deal that could ultimately be more expensive, and there is no doubt which forward offers more to their team. Joao Pedro always seemed to cause problems for Arsenal's defence when he played against them during his time at Brighton, and he has a flexibility and versatility that would have been perfect for Arteta's system. Arsenal had twice explored the possibility of signing him over the years. It is surely a source of regret that they never became serious about it. So far this season, Joao Pedro has scored and assisted in both league games. Gyokeres, by contrast, has played zero minutes.
03:08pm
They have just got back under way in the second half on Merseyside and Manchester United have taken the lead against Everton through Bryan Mbeumo. You can follow the action from the Hill Dickinson here .
03:07pm
Will Ezri Konsa come into Arsenal's starting lineup today? It would be harsh on Cristhian Mosquera, who has been excellent so far this season, but when you pay more than £50m for a ready-made, elite-level centre-back, these are the matches you surely want him for. Mosquera had a slight injury against Aston Villa on Monday night, which may give Arteta the perfect reason to throw his new signing into the side.
03:03pm
Friday:Ipswich 0 Liverpool 2
Saturday:
Newcastle 2 Bournemouth 2
Brentford 1 Sunderland 1
Brighton 1 Leeds 1
Fulham 2 Crystal Palace 3
Manchester City 1 Coventry 0
Nottingham Forest 0 Tottenham 0
Hull City 0 Aston Villa 0
Today:
Everton 0 Manchester United 0 HT
Arsenal vs Chelsea 4.30pm
02:58pm
Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal are "better equipped" for success this season, despite falling short in their attempts to add a top-class attacker. Arsenal have allowed four forward players to leave this summer and brought in one, Greece winger Christos Tzolis.
The departures of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri (on loan) have raised concerns among supporters that the champions lack firepower. Moves for Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez did not come to fruition. Arteta, though, feels Arsenal are stronger now than at the end of last season following a summer in which they added midfielder Bruno Guimarães and defender Ezri Konsa.
"We are better equipped," said Arteta, who faces Rogers and close friend Xabi Alonso. "We have more players available than the start of last season. We have increased the quality and we have increased the leadership, which is very important."
Asked specifically about the attack, he added: "Yeah, but that's another question. We have to prove in that particular position whether we are better or not. Let's see. We need to play. I don't like to make assumptions.
"It's not just the responsibility of those players, it's the team and the dynamic. We have multiple options to play there with different profiles. It's human nature. When you talk to people and you ask: 'Ok, what is on your bucket list?' Sometimes we forget the reverse bucket list, which are the things you already have that are incredible. It's very important to value what we have, what we have created together. The ambition is great, but [don't] lose perspective to what we already have which is amazing."
02:56pmKey moments
Two sides with 100% records meet in a London derby in north London as defending champions Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates. Arsenal have wins over Coventry and Aston Villa to their name whilst Chelsea have beaten Fulham and Brighton.
Arsenal could make it three wins from three to start the season, a feat they have only achieved once in the last 21 seasons. They have lost just one of their last 29 Premier League London derbies. Mikel Arteta comes up against his childhood friend Xabi Alonso today.
"Really happy for him [Alonso]," Arteta said. "It is incredible because obviously we have the history we have together, the same with Andoni [Iraola]. To be facing each other at such a level and with the responsibility we have managing some of the top clubs in the country is a really beautiful thing to experience. Now it will be tougher to meet because of the schedule we both have but that friendship will go for many years. We shared some great moments but now it is the competition and when you face each other, you know what happens."
The two bosses have known each other from a young age - David Price/Getty Images
Chelsea were involved in late drama on transfer deadline day. They were on the verge of signing midfielder Lamine Camara from Monaco only to see that deal fall through at the last minute. After being linked with a move away throughout the summer, Chelsea did in the end sell Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for a joint Premier League transfer record fee of £125m.
"In football, many things happen and you need to be prepared for everything," Chelsea boss Alonso said. "With Enzo, we have had conversations, but always with respect for what he has done for the club. It has been great, we are thankful, but it is time to move forward. We take all the decisions together. We are responsible for them, we work together with every decision, big and small.
"We knew that, ultimately, the last goal is to have the best for the team, the best for the squad, the best for daily work here. We want to build a good spirit, a good team, and we have always taken decisions thinking we want to reach that. We have the squad we have. We have a lot of big personalities, players with a lot of quality in all the different positions, different lines and now we are ready to go."
Arsenal won this fixture 2-1 last season, with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber earning Mikel Arteta's side three points on their way to the title. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League matches against Chelsea.
Team news from the Emirates to follow shortly.
