Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea: What Rosenior saidpublished at 19:27 GMT 1 March
19:27 GMT 1 March
Media caption,
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Frustrated with the end result. A lot of good things in our game but we were undone by two set pieces like we were against Burnley last week.
On good performances: "There were some outstanding performance. Technically and tactically but we were undone by moments. Same as against Burnley and against Leeds."
On the red cards his team have received: "I have respect for the previous manager Enzo [Maresca]. I don't speak about what happened before but it is starting to happen with me. That's something I felt we had addressed, we went 10 games without a red card, now two in two games and that's a problem we need to solve and the set play issue is something we need to keep working on."
On Pedro Neto getting booked for dissent and then making a tackle shortly after: "Probably not to be honest,it's very simple. It's something that we need to address, not just Pedro but as a team to make sure we have 11 men on the pitch."
On pushing the league leaders: "I don't want to push the league leaders very hard. We're Chelsea, we want to win games of football. Between both boxes, we were very, very good. I felt we were the better team by far in the second half but we weren't ruthless in the moment. Their goalkeeper makes very good saves and at the other end we concede two goals from corners."
Did you know?
Only Sunderland in 2009-10 (8) and Leicester City in 1994-95 (8) have had more different players receive a red card in a Premier League season than Chelsea in 2025-26, with Pedro Neto today being their seventh.
Arsenal v Chelsea: Team newspublished at 15:28 GMT 1 March
15:28 GMT 1 March
Mikel Arteta sticks with the side that won 4-1 against rivals Tottenham last week. There's a boost on the bench for the Gunners too as Kai Havertz comes back into the matchday squad after injury.
Arsenal starting XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Eze, Trossard, Gyokeres
Liam Rosenior makes two changes to the side that drew with Burnley. Jorrel Hato and Mamadou Sarr come in for Malo Gusto and the suspended Wesley Fofana.
Chelsea starting XI: Sanchez, James, Chalobah, Sarr, Hato, Santos, Caicedo, Fernandez, Neto, Palmer, Pedro
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Brighton v Nottingham Forest" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v Chelsea", for instance.
Sutton's predictions: Arsenal v Chelseapublished at 10:16 GMT 1 March
10:16 GMT 1 March
Arsenal have got to be careful they don't warm up in the Chelsea half again, for starters. If I was playing in this game, I'd do it deliberately!
In terms of the game, I can't see anything other than a Gunners win.
Chelsea can cause Arsenal a few problems because they have got players who can hurt anyone but, at the other end, I don't see Liam Rosenior's side keeping a clean sheet.
I liked the way Arsenal responded to their setback against Wolves by battering Spurs. Chelsea don't like them much either, but this is going to end up with the same result.
Arsenal v Chelsea: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 13:00 GMT 28 February
13:00 GMT 28 February
Tom McCoy BBC Sport journalist
Premier League leaders Arsenal take on a Chelsea side who have not beaten them since August 2021. BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Sunday's match (16:30 GMT).
More capital gains for Gunners?
After losing ground in the title race with back-to-back draws, Arsenal regained momentum by beating Tottenham 4-1 last weekend – their biggest victory away to their north London rivals since 1978.
The win extended their excellent run of results in derby matches. The Gunners have lost just one of their previous 25 Premier League matches against sides from the capital, and it is a similar story when facing Chelsea.
Arsenal have been beaten in only one of their past 15 meetings with the Blues in all competitions and have won seven and lost none of the 10 most recent encounters.
Mikel Arteta's side now have 10 games left as they look to secure a first league title since 2004. Sunday's fixture is one of just two against sides currently in the top six, along with a potentially decisive trip to second-placed Manchester City on 18 April.
Arteta has a full week to prepare his side for this match, a rare luxury in an increasingly congested calendar. The last time the Gunners had no midweek action was in mid-December.
Familiar failings again costly for Chelsea
Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Burnley followed a frustratingly familiar script for the west London side.
Having surrendered a two-goal lead in the draw with Leeds earlier this month, the Blues again faltered versus newly promoted opposition, conceding an injury-time equaliser from Burnley's Zian Flemming.
They have already dropped 19 points from winning positions this season - the second-highest figure in the top flight prior to the latest round of matches.
Another costly habit has been losing players to red cards at key moments. Chelsea did not allow Burnley a shot on target while they had 11 men on the pitch but understandably looked more vulnerable once Wesley Fofana was sent off in the 72nd minute.
The Frenchman became the eighth Chelsea player to be dismissed this season in all competitions, comfortably the highest total of any Premier League club.
And while Fofana's red was the first since Liam Rosenior's appointment last month, the Blues will need to tread carefully against Arsenal, having had Moises Caicedo sent off in November's 1-1 draw between the sides.
'Iron fists' and 'velvet gloves' - five times Chelsea ruined my childhoodpublished at 12:01 GMT 28 February
12:01 GMT 28 February
Scarlet Katz Roberts Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal's record against Chelsea lately is nothing short of dominance. Last weekend we confirmed that North London is still red. It would be nice to rubber stamp the rest of the city this weekend with a win against the Blues.
But it wasn't always that way… In fact, it used to be horrible. Back in the early to mid 2000s, we were routinely walloped by Chelsea's wise veterans.
That's what makes putting this young Chelsea team to the sword and beating them, rubbing their noses in their optimism, all the more important for an Arsenal team potentially on the verge of emulating their success. I don't just want to beat Chelsea, I want to patronise them, because of all the times they made me feel stupid for even hoping. So here they are, five times Chelsea ruined my childhood in chronological order.
1. League Cup Final 2007: 2-1 defeat
Jon Champion described it as the "velvet glove of Arsenal's sophisticated youth against the iron fist of Chelsea's relentless power". Theo Walcott, barely out of the crib, put Arsenal one up inside 15 minutes. I remember sitting in the car, listening on the radio, hearing men against boys twisted around to flatter Arsenal's youthful line-up.
Everything seemed to be going so well until the inevitable Didier Drogba delivered an equaliser that was probably offside. It all went downhill from there. Michael Essien somehow escaped a red card after kicking Julio Baptista in the chest, and then a second yellow after cutting Denilson down on the break. In the 84th minute it was Drogba, the spectre of my nightmares for years to come, who rose above Senderos to head Chelsea in front. I heard Arsenal ended that game with nine men. I wouldn't know - I'd asked my parents to turn the radio off.
Image source, Getty Images
2. Ruined my first trip to Wembley: 2009 FA cup semi final: 2-1 defeat
Obviously it wasn't a final, so this isn't as bad as the first time. But it was Theo Walcott who put us ahead again in a cruel echo of the last time we met Chelsea in the late stages of a cup competition. Malouda equalised before guess who (Didier Drogba) scored an 84th minute winner to send me home from my first trip to Wembley with a defeat.
3. Drogba again: 2009: 3-0 defeat at home
Arsenal didn't really put up a fight in this game, which is why I remember very little. What I can't forget is Drogba slamming an Ashley Cole cross in off the underside of the bar, before booting a free kick in for 3-0. Humiliation. Turn off the TV.
4. Wenger's 1,000th game: 2014: 6-0 at The Bridge
I had the good fortune of attending this game and sitting in the home end with the Chelsea fans. They couldn't understand why I wasn't jubilant when Mourinho followed up his 'specialist in failure' jibe with a 6-0 drubbing famous for its case of mistaken identity, when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made a diving save from Eden Hazard on the line. But instead of him being sent off, it was Kieran Gibbs who walked for Arsenal. We also handed the great Mo Salah his first Premier League goal for 6-0.
Image source, Getty Images
5. Eden Hazard: 2016 3-1 at the Bridge
It was February 2016 and Arsenal's title hopes were dwindling. We'd actually managed to beat Chelsea at home that season, so I had cautious hope. But that didn't stop Eden Hazard from turning Francis Coquelin into a human fidget spinner, somehow beating Laurent Koscielny twice in the same move, before scoring past Petr Cech for 2-0. To cap things off, Chelsea got their third thanks to none other than former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. We did get them back that year, beating them 2-1 in the FA cup final!
Honourable mentions must go to Baku, Alex's freekick and Michael Essien's wonderstrike. On Sunday it will be Arsenal's 'iron fist' against Chelsea's 'velvet glove'. History tells us that the 'iron fist' usually prevails. I hope we win.
Chelsea face difficult Champions League runpublished at 18:10 GMT 27 February
18:10 GMT 27 February
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter at Cobham Training Centre
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea's draw to face Paris St‑Germain in the last 16 – and their potential subsequent run – is a daunting prospect.
Before the draw, it was simply a question of whether Liam Rosenior's side would face either PSG or Newcastle, with an all‑English tie avoided.
A rematch of this summer's Club World Cup final – and another meeting with the European champions – was pulled out of the hat, opposition Rosenior had already encountered while managing his former club Strasbourg.
PSG, though, are not the force they were at this stage last season.
They struggled to beat domestic rivals Monaco despite their opponents going down to 10 men in both matches in the play‑off round. In addition, PSG's form in all competitions has been patchy since the winter break, including a shock exit to Paris FC in the last 32 of the French Cup.
The draw, at least, avoids the flat prospect of Chelsea playing Newcastle three times in a row, as the Champions League ties would have been sandwiched between a league meeting on 14 March.
It will be interesting to see what Rosenior makes of the draw, ahead of what Opta data suggests is the toughest set of fixtures in their final 11 Premier League matches.
There is also a demanding Champions League pathway mapped out for Chelsea, who could meet Liverpool in the quarter‑finals and then either Manchester City or Real Madrid in a potential semi‑final on the road to the final in Budapest.
Rosenior on Cucurella's fitness, drawing PSG & facing 'fantastic' Arsenalpublished at 14:43 GMT 27 February
14:43 GMT 27 February
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium (16:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Rosenior confirmed Marc Cucurella is not available for Sunday but "hopefully we can get him back quickly as soon as possible", while Estevao Willian will be "out for a little bit longer", Jamie Gittens is "progressing in his rehab" and Dario Essugo is "back on the training pitch".
Captain Reece James is "absolutely fine" while Romeo Lavia is "getting stronger and stronger" and "we had a mini-practice match in the week where he looked really good".
On facing holders Paris St-Germain in the Champions League last 16: "So excited. PSG are a fantastic team. I have experience of playing against them in France. I have always admired them. Luis Enrique has done an incredible job. These are the games you live for, games that you come into football for. It's going to be a great tie. But we've got another three games before that, that I need to focus on."
On the race to qualify for next season's Champions League: "I want the players to be as physically and mentally fresh as possible. They've looked really good in training this week. We need to stay calm and consistent in our process. This club should be in the Champions League, this club is a Champions League club. When I took over, we were eighth. We're now in the race."
Rosenior was asked about the club's finances after they posted the highest annual loss ever by an English football club: "My job is to focus on the team, trying to make the team and the squad as strong as possible to win things. I will have those conversations with the ownership and those above me. But [finances] are not something that is at the forefront of my mind. I just want to make sure we are successful on the pitch."
On racist abuse suffered by Wesley Fofana after getting sent off in last weekend's draw against Burnley: "It was a tough day for Wes. First for what happened in the game and the racist abuse he got online. It affects you in ways that shouldn't exist. It's something we have to try and eradicate from life and football. He is strong and has trained this week."
Anticipating the challenge posed by the league leaders, Rosenior said: "They are an incredibly well-coached team in every aspect of the game. Whether they compress really high, they have compact shape in the low blocks, they are fantastic defensively, obviously set-plays, they are well-coached and they play very good football as well. They are a very good team and that is why they are in the situation they are in at the moment. It is my job and the players' job to try to find that weakness and try to enjoy what is going to be a really, really big game on Sunday."
Ticket revenue continues to soar in Premier Leaguepublished at 09:58 GMT 27 February
09:58 GMT 27 February
Daniel Austin BBC Sport senior journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Fans of the Premier League's six wealthiest clubs are paying an average of £74 per ticket for each match they attend, while ticket revenues are soaring, according to data from a new report.
The Uefa European club finance and investment landscape report shows that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham earned an average of 19% more money from selling tickets for home matches in 2025 than in 2024.
Among Premier League clubs, Arsenal made the most per fan, per match, earning an average of £89 per ticket.
The biggest increase in ticket income was earned by Liverpool, who made 27% more than the previous year, for a total of £120m.
The figures include matches in all European and domestic competitions and comprise the average price for general admission and hospitality tickets.
The data shows all 20 Premier League clubs made a combined total of £920m from ticket sales last year - an increase of £90m from the previous year.
That total is almost double the total of £514m in ticket income earned by Spanish clubs.
Nine Premier League clubs feature in Europe's top 25 for gate revenue, with the wealthiest six all in the top 11.
The report shows the 20 Premier League clubs are well ahead of their European rivals when it comes to overall revenue, earning a combined total of £6.5bn.
That is almost double the revenue of the next highest division, Germany's Bundesliga, whose 18 clubs made a total of £3.4bn.
Of the 25 clubs who generated the most revenue, 11 were English.
But those revenues did not mean the Premier League clubs turned a collective profit, as only five made a profit while 15 made losses and across the division, there was a combined pre-tax loss of £559m.
Chelsea - with £355m - made the second-highest loss in European football history while Spurs (£129m) were the the third-biggest losers in 2025, with Aston Villa fifth (£85m).
Serbia international Dusan Vlahovic favours a switch to Barcelona when his Juventus contract ends this summer, although Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea remain in the hunt to sign the 26-year-old forward. (Teamtalk), external
Forward Nicolas Jackson is set to return to Chelsea. The 24-year-old Senegal international moved to Bayern Munich on loan last summer, but the Bundesliga champions are not keen on a permanent switch. (CFBayernInsider), external
Blues 'could face further fines' after record losspublished at 19:00 GMT 26 February
19:00 GMT 26 February
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea recorded a pre-tax loss of £355m for 2024-25, according to financial figures released by Uefa.
It is the highest annual loss ever made by an English football club, and the second highest in European history, following the £484m Barcelona's lost in 2021.
Sources at Chelsea say a number of factors have caused an unfavourable outlook in Uefa's latest report.
Those factors include asset impairments (an accounting term for when an asset has a lower market value than that listed on a company's balance sheet), settlements tied to historical regulatory matters, and the exiting of legacy contracts.
Those disclosures are required under the governing body regulations.
Chelsea say they remain profitable on an operating basis, believe they will comply with Uefa's rules, and deny they will have to sell star players to fulfil any regulatory requirements.
After a substantial fine in the summer for breaching spending rules, they remain under Uefa scrutiny. And they could face further fines as part of the settlement should they continue to not be compliant.
But they point to a profitable season in the transfer market to highlight how they expect to avoid further punishments under the existing agreement.
'No excuse' and 'weak management' - fans on discipline issues published at 08:27 GMT 26 February
08:27 GMT 26 February
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on can Chelsea's discipline issues be blamed on youth? Or is it something else? How can they fix it?
Take a look at the data on the post below this and here are some of your comments on the dilemma:
Kwaku: It is a self fulfilling prophecy. Many of the yellow cards that Chelsea players pick up are routinely ignored by the referees when other teams are involved. It's not a discipline issue.
Dell: I don't think age has anything to do with it. All these players know the rules, they've all been playing since the age of 10 or even earlier. It's ill discipline, pure and simple, and it's for the coaching staff to drill it into their heads that they need to be careful how they tackle and, more importantly, keep their mouths shut when they don't like the decision of the referee. The amount of yellow cards given to Chelsea players for dissent is crazy.
Tony: Youthfulness is absolutely no excuse. Most of them are internationals and should know better. It stems from weak management off the pitch, no apparent accountability and total ill-discipline from over rated and over paid players who should be performing much better. All round it sums up where Chelsea are as a club under the present owners and sporting directors. They have taken the 2021 Champions League winners, mega successful academy plus a very talented trophy-winning ladies team and somehow destroyed the structure of all of all them with breath-taking incompetence.
Ross: It's not a youth thing. A vast swathe of the red cards have been for things that have been thought to be innocuous for other teams in exactly the same circumstances. There is a referee/VAR conspiracy at play undoubtedly.
Does age really make a difference to discipline?published at 08:20 GMT 26 February
08:20 GMT 26 February
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Another Premier League weekend, another game to question Chelsea's discipline.
Since the takeover of the club in 2022, the Blues have consistently featured in the top five for most disciplinary points (one for yellow cards and five for red cards) in the 'Fair Play' table for the Premier League season.
And 2025-26 is not looking likely to break that trend.
With Wesley Fofana's red card in the 1-1 draw with Burnley at the weekend, plus yellow cards for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and late substitute Jorrel Hato, it leaves Chelsea on 86 discipline points - seven points more than any other team.
The picture is similar when broken down into red cards - where they lead the way with six - and yellow cards, with 60 of those seeing them fifth.
In December, former winger Pat Nevin described midfielder Moises Caicedo's red card against Arsenal as "an echo of their previous youthful overexuberance", while back in May, pundit Fara Williams suggested Chelsea's high number of yellow cards at the time "could be an issue with them being such a young squad" and they needed a "bit more emotional control" in their game.
But while many have pointed to the Blues' youthfulness - they currently have the youngest average age squad in the league at 23.4 - being the culprit to the discipline issues, boss Liam Rosenior is less convinced
"I think youth is one thing, accountability is another," he said after the match. "I know what we need to get there. It's not down to youth, it's down to assessing the players and identifying the ones you can rely on in difficult moments."
And could he be right? Is it time to stop using age as an excuse for ill-discipline?
When comparing rankings on discipline to the average age of squads in the Premier League, Chelsea's young team correlates with where you might expect for discipline by topping the table for most points from red and yellow cards.
But when you look behind them, the picture is more mixed.
The nearest to west London club in terms of age is promoted side Sunderland, whose squad average is 25 years, and the Black Cats do sit eighth for number of discipline points this season.
The likes of Bournemouth, Brentford and Tottenham - who are second behind Chelsea with 79 discipline points - also feature in the five youngest squads this campaign.
But if Rosenior's side were to look to the teams they see themselves competing with in the upper echelons of the league, the picture is more stark.
Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United all feature in the 10 youngest squads this term, but despite this, all four teams have much better discipline records, with United and Arsenal having the fewest points in the league at 38.
While there are a number of factors at play beyond just age, and Chelsea's squad is still notably younger than their rivals, it does suggest youthfulness of a side does not always have to mean more red and yellow cards.
Can Chelsea's discipline issues be blamed on youth? Or is it something else? How can they fix it?
