Arsenal vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League latest score, news and updates from the Emirates

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea LIVE: Express Sport brings you the latest Premier League score, news and updates from the Emirates

42: Oh that’s awkward. Fabregas and Sanchez collide in the area and the Arsenal man wants a penalty. For some reason Cesc decides to give him an aggressive hug, where he looks like he’s trying to squeeze the life out of him. Very strange.

40: Danger! Xhaka rugby tackles Bakayoko just outside the Arsenal penalty area. Here comes Marcos Alonso… and there goes a poorly struck free-kick.

39: Ozil and Sanchez have linked up nicely tonight. Arsenal threatening again as Ozil floats a ball into the Chilean but Azpilicueta is across to head clear.

36: Fabregas has been excellent in possession so far and his raking pass finds Bakayoko in the area, but the Frenchman is unable to control. Should have done better.

33: Arsenal fans will love that. Fabregas is knocked flat by Wilshere, who receives a booking and hero status for his troubles.

30: Another Hazard shot is blocked after the Belgian wriggled his way into the penalty area. Good period for the Blues, but still no goals.

27: Lovely ball from Cesc Fabregas slices Arsenal wide-open. Bakayoko latches onto it but his strike is palmed away by Cech.

24: Save! Arsenal are starting to turn the screw and very nearly get their reward. Alexandre Lacazette capitalises on a Gary Cahill slip, spins and forces a great low save from Courtois.

21: Alvaro Morata is taking some serious heat on Twitter, and rightly so. He’s been awful. Missed a sitter and is continually losing possession.

Where’s Diego Costa when you need him. Oh…

18: It’s all gone crazy folks. First Maitland-Niles sees a penalty appeal correctly turned down as he fell inside the area.

Seconds later, Thibaut Courtois pushes Sanchez’s close-range shot onto one post, it rebounds across the line onto the other post and the keeper pounces on it! I don’t know how this is 0-0.

15: Sitter. Absolute sitter. Alvaro Morata won’t have an easier chance all season. Victor Moses hoofs a ball forward and Arsenal’s defence are completely bamboozled. Morata collects, drives forward and slices it about three-yards wide with only Petr Cech to beat.

12: Arsenal counter perfectly until the final ball. Bakayoko is drawn out of position and Ozil finds Sanchez on the flank. He drives forward and looks for the German but his cross is a little too strong.

9: Lacazette draws a free-kick as Kante ploughs into the back of him. This is Alexis Sanchez territory. The Chilean strikes it into the wall, and it deflects behind off Gary Cahill.

6: Arsenal have responded by passing Chelsea to death. They play it around the back four before tamely losing possession. No chances to speak of.

3: It took about 13 seconds for confusion to reign in the Arsenal penalty area, but Mustafi deals with Maitland-Niles’ under hit pass. The visitors have started brightly with Eden Hazard seeing a shot blocked for a corner, which was easily cleared.

ARSENAL 0-0 CHELSEA

1: And we’re off! Arsenal without Sead Kolasinac, Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny… this could get messy!

ALMOST UNDERWAY

19:43: We’ll be off any moment now folks. I just have time to tell you that Diego Costa has scored five-minutes into his second Atletico Madrid debut. I kind of miss the fella…

ARSENAL vs CHELSEA

19:42: Quick reminder of the line-ups folks.

Arsenal XI: Cech, Holding, Mustafi, Chambers, Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere, Maitland-Niles, Ozil, Sanchez, Lacazette.

Subs: Ospina, Mertesacker, Walcott, Iwobi, Welbeck, Coquelin, Elneny.

Chelsea XI: Courtois, Cahill, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Moses, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso, Fabregas, Hazard, Morata.

Subs: Caballero, Rudiger, Drinkwater, Pedro, Zappacosta, Willian, Batshuayi.

FAMILIAR

19:40: This is Arsene Wenger’s 60th meeting with Chelsea in all competitions – making them the side he’s faced the most as Arsenal boss (W22 D16 L21).

ARSENE WENGER

19:35: “In football, there’s only one thing and that’s the next game. We know that our home form will be absolutely vital and we just come home from West Brom frustrated because we lost two points. We know it puts us under even more pressure to deliver a big result. The target in 2018 is to win every single game, starting with Chelsea.”

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Stuart: I was going to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea, but then I realised I don’t actually care who finishes 3rd or 4th in the Premier League.

Donny: Arsenal have a leaky defence tonight while Chelsea’s defence is fresh and well rotated. If Fabregas didn’t forget his magic hat then it should be an easy victory for Chelsea.

James: Xhaka is going to have to keep an eye on Fabregas, stay tight and put in some challenges today.

Arsenal supporters are quite rightly concerned about Fabregas’ influence tonight.

TOUGH GIG…

19:25: Referee Anthony Taylor has a tough assignment tonight, and not just because Arsene Wenger hates every official on the planet right now.

This fixture has seen a Chelsea player sent off in the last three matches against Arsenal. (David Luiz, Pedro and Victor Moses).

HAZARDOUS…

19:20: What a thoroughly cliched headline that was. Sorry, I’m still lacking a creative spark after a heavy, liver-destroying Christmas.

Anyway, Eden Hazard has been speaking to Sky Sports ahead of tonight’s clash.

“I’m full of energy now so I’m just ready to play the game. I hope to have a good game for me and Chelsea,” he said.

“Yes I want to score but that’s not a problem, I just want to win the game. We want to stay second. City are first with a lot of points ahead, but if we want to close the gap, we need to win here. We have the quality to win today.”

TRANSFER NEWS…

19:15: The January transfer window is in full swing already and Antonio Conte has hinted at a couple of departures…

Who you ask? Well read on and find out.

The Italian suggested he would consider allowing any players worried that their lack of first-team action is jeopardising their World Cup hopes to leave.

Brazil defender David Luiz and Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi are the players most likely to be concerned over their chances of competing at Russia 2018 due to being out of favour at Chelsea.

“I understand if some players are not playing with regularity and want to play with regularity. I will understand if someone is worried about the World Cup. I prefer to have players very happy to stay here than to have players that are unhappy,” Conte said.

THE STORY CONTINUES…

19:10: Here’s tonight’s programme cover folks. Obviously we’ve got some sort of Star Wars theme happening which is completely lost on me.

But I think it’s clear that Arsenal’s transfer budget is going… “Sorry Thomas Lemar, we can’t sign you because we’ve got J.J. Abrams designing the matchday programme…”

FAB RETURNS…

19:05: I guess it’s not such a big deal to see Cesc Fabregas back at the Emirates.

Not that it’ll stop him from being booed mercilessly.

He’s played against Arsenal quite a few times since leaving after an eight-year spell in north London.

The Spaniard has played roughly half the number of games for Chelsea, scored a third of the goals but won three more trophies.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Liam: Love a good London derby. Hope it’s a cracker. Usually when these two face off us neutrals aren’t disappointed.

Andy: Morata and Lacazette have no choice but to show up tonight with their single goal tallies!

Kevin: Hopefully Arsenal can surprise everyone and get a win tonight… here’s to hoping anyway.

TEAM NEWS – CHELSEA

18:55: Antonio Conte has made four changes from the side who thrashed Stoke at Stamford Bridge.

Eden Hazard, Andreas Christensen, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Cesc Fabregas all return to the starting XI.

Antonio Rudiger, Danny Drinkwater, Willian and Pedro move down to the bench.

TEAM NEWS – ARSENAL

18:50: Mesut Ozil returns! The German international has recovered from a knee injury that sidelined him for the draw at West Brom. He replaces Alex Iwobi.

Laurent Koscielny and Sead Kolasinac are out for the Gunners. Ainsley Maitland-Niles comes in at full-back while Rob Holding is preferred to Per Mertesacker at centre-back.

ARSENAL vs CHELSEA

18:45: Here’s the line-ups folks. Eden Hazard does indeed return for Chelsea, and Mesut Ozil is back from illness for the Gunners.

Arsenal XI: Cech, Holding, Mustafi, Chambers, Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere, Maitland-Niles, Ozil, Sanchez, Lacazette.

Subs: Ospina, Mertesacker, Walcott, Iwobi, Welbeck, Coquelin, Elneny.

Chelsea XI: Courtois, Cahill, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Moses, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso, Fabregas, Hazard, Morata.

Subs: Caballero, Rudiger, Drinkwater, Pedro, Zappacosta, Willian, Batshuayi.

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

18:43: We’ll have those starting XI’s dropping through any moment now folks. Antonio Conte has vowed to continue rotating his side, and that should mean a return for Eden Hazard…

HAVE YOUR SAY

18:40: If you want to vent your frustrations, or discuss any issues in the world of football (within reason), then get in touch!

You can either comment at the bottom of the page or contact me via Twitter using the hashtag #ExpressSport.

BEST OF THE REST

18:35: Manchester City returned to winning ways and restored their Premier League lead to 15 points with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Watford yesterday.

So, the title done and dusted, right?

The fact City are now 1/100 with most bookmakers suggests they will, but Chelsea are now looking like the most likely challengers.

Antonio Conte’s side have found their rhythm having lost one of their last 14 fixtures in all competitions.

A win tonight would reduce the gap to 14 points, and provide a four-point gap above fourth-placed Liverpool.

EVENING

18:30: Hello folks, welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Premier League.

The weather is terrible, everyone’s back at work, and Homes Under the Hammer has returned to our screens.

Christmas is most certainly finished…

But there’s one last festive treat remaining as Arsenal welcome London rivals Chelsea to the Emirates.

The Premier League champions can reclaim second spot in the league table with a win, while Arsenal can leapfrog Spurs and close the gap on fourth-placed Liverpool.

Plenty at stake tonight, so forget taking the Christmas decorations down and keep me company!

ARSENAL vs CHELSEA – PREVIEW

Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Laurent Koscielny have an outside chance of returning from injury to face Chelsea tonight.

Koscielny’s likelihood of playing is rated at 30 per cent by Arsene Wenger while Ozil is close to recovering from a knee problem and will be assessed.

Sead Kolasinac, however, will be out for two weeks after taking a knock to his ankle against West Brom on Sunday. Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud (both hamstring) and Nacho Monreal (ankle) all remain sidelined.

Chelsea have no fresh injury problems.

Defender David Luiz (knee) and forward Charly Musonda (groin) remain out.

Both have returned to training and could feature in Saturday’s FA Cup trip to Norwich.