Few fixtures in the Premier League boast the backstory of Chelsea versus Arsenal, with numerous celebrated names having made their mark upon a fierce London rivalry.
Prolific strikers and long-serving defenders have all had their time to shine across Stamford Bridge, Highbury and Emirates Stadium.
As Chelsea prepare to host the latest instalment on Sunday, we look back across Opta data to pick out the best and worst times for those in red and blue.
Top scorers
Alexandre Lacazette and Alvaro Morata will be keen to make their mark in a first Premier League outing against one another and, as is generally the case for Arsenal and Chelsea strikers of this vintage, Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba set the benchmark.
Blues hero Drogba and Gunne…
Barcelona full-back Jordi Alba wants to stay at Camp Nou but is unsure if LaLiga s reigning champions will offer him a new contract.
Alba s future is up in the air with his Barca deal ending in 2020 and no renewal forthcoming at the moment.
The 29-year-old Spain international, who arrived from Valencia in 2012, has previously expressed his bemusement over a lack of progress regarding a contract extension.
Asked about the situation following Barca s 3-0 LaLiga victory against Eibar on Sunday, Alba said: Everything is still the same for me, I have a year left on my contract and I don t know what the club thinks. I m calm.
They have to see if they want to renew me and when they do want to renew me if that is the case.
I want to stay here as this is…
Rangers manager Philippe Clement played down the significance of an early trophy win for himself as he prepares for the Viaplay Cup semi-final against Hearts on Sunday.
The Belgian is unbeaten in four games since taking over as Gers boss from Michael Beale last month and in general the early signs have been encouraging for Light Blues fans, who watched their side thrash Dundee 5-0 away in the cinch Premiership on Wednesday night.
A victory over the Jambos at Hampden Park would set up a Viaplay Cup final meeting in December against either Aberdeen or Hibernian, with the chance of winning the first available silverware of the season.
Philippe Clement said the squad are focusing on the task at hand as we prepare for Semi-Final action against Hearts.
Read M…
The Express understands that Marcos Alonso has insisted he is focused at Chelsea among interest from Real Madrid.
The wing-back, who made his senior international debut on Tuesday evening has been linked with a move to the European Champions, with whom he began his career.
However, he has insisted that he is not considering a move away from the Blues, for whom he signed in the summer of 2016.
Since arriving at Stamford Bridge he has racked up seventy-five appearances in all competitions, scoring thirteen goals while he was a key member of the squad that won the Premier League title last season.
Prior to signing for Chelsea the twenty-seven year old had spells with Fiorentina and Bolton Wanderers whilst he also turned out for Sunderland on loan.
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Watford have completed a deal to sign Mario Suarez from Fiorentina for an undisclosed fee, with the Spanish midfielder signing a four-and-a-half-year deal.
Quique Sanchez Flores had confirmed an agreement was close following Watford s 1-0 FA Cup victory at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, with the club announcing the switch shortly afterwards.
The cost of the deal is said to be in the region of £4million as Watford add more quality to a team that has impressed on their return to the Premier League.
Spain international Suarez previously worked with Flores when the Watford boss was coach at Atletico Madrid between 2009 and 2011.
Suarez made 183 appearances during his time at Vicente Calderon, but has played only 13 times for Fiorentina since joining the I…
Dimitri Payet and Lucas Ocampos haunted Athletic Bilbao for a second time in the Europa League as Marseille cruised into the quarter finals 5-2 on aggregate.
Both Payet and Ocampos found the back of the net in the first leg at the Stade Velodrome last week and they were at it again on Thursday, Marseille running out 2-1 winners at San Mames.
However, their progress was marred by reports of trouble before the match between Marseille fans and security staff, while flares were also reportedly thrown from the travelling supporters.
That could well bring sanctions from UEFA, but on the pitch Marseille were excellent with the impressive Payet a shining light.
A marauding run, including a one-two with Kostas Mitroglou, was ended by Inigo Lekue s crude challen…
Real Madrid retirement? / Image via espn.com
All media drama and public speculations aside, Real Madrid were always Cristiano Ronaldo’s preferred destination and the Portuguese superstar looks set to prove it with putting pen to paper on a new deal that would see him retire at Santiago Bernabeu.
Numbers don’t lie
Cristiano Ronaldo started his Real Madrid career in 2009 upon his record-breaking transfer fee worth £80 million and it is fair to say that former Manchester United winger went on to repay every single penny invested in his transfer from Old Trafford.
Having marked his Los Blancos debut against Deportivo La Coruna with a goal, Cristiano Ronaldo went on to score in each of his four league fixtures for the club thus becoming the first Real Ma…
Montenegro forward Stevan Jovetic remains on the outskirts of Inter Milan squad as Stefano Pioli continues to ignore the 27-year-old Podgorica-born attacker, who only made 5 Serie appearances this season.
Still tied to Manchester City, Stevan Jovetic’s loan is due to expire at the turn of the year when Inter will be forced to pay €13.5 million in an obligatory purchase clause.
it is however becoming increasingly unlikely that he will be staying at Inter as Nerazzuri are looking for options to part ways with the 27-year-old.
Fiorentina are keen to offer an escape route for their former player according to reports from , but face a stern challenge as Inter seem unwilling to let the Montenegrin go on loan and would rather recoup the sum they need to invest in a…
What the papers say
The Evening Standard reports Fulham are ahead of Liverpool and Manchester United in the battle to sign Fluminense’s 22-year-old Brazil midfielder Andre.
The same newspaper says Fulham have also showed interest in 24-year-old Denmark striker Jonas Wind, who has scored eight goals in 11 matches so far for Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.
The Daily Star reports there could be a cleanout at Manchester United next year with the possibility of 15 players leaving the Premier League club. The first player out the door is rumoured to be 23-year-old Jadon Sancho.
Social media round-up
Man Utd are in advanced talks to tie down exciting attacking talent Ethan Wheatley to his first pro contract as other clubs start to circle for the 17-year-old…
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Luis Enrique has hailed the progress of Neymar during his three-year reign at Barcelona, but rued the lack of trophies in an impressive individual season for the forward in 2016-17.
Barca take on Alaves in the Copa del Rey final at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday, giving the head coach a chance of silverware in his final match.
Forward Neymar will be central to his side s hopes after a superb individual campaign which he has described as his best at Camp Nou since signing from Santos in 2013.
Luis Enrique agrees Neymar, who has 19 goals, has made significant progress in the mental aspect of his game under his stewardship, but regrets Barca s failure to win LaLiga or the Champions League to mark the campaign with top trophies.
Neymar has evolved since I …