Arsenal v Chelsea: Key stats and talking points

Arsenal and Chelsea meet on Saturday having each won both of their opening matches.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of Sunday’s meeting at Emirates Stadium (16:30 BST).

Arsenal will aim to continue a strong start to their title defence by winning their opening three Premier League matches for only the second time in the past 21 seasons.

The Gunners have begun 2026-27 in comfortable fashion both on and off the pitch. Effective recruitment this summer means that Mikel Arteta’s side were not involved in the scramble of deadline day, with the £51m purchase of Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa on 21 August proving to be Arsenal’s final signing of the summer window.

Konsa made his debut as a late substitute against his former employers during the 1-0 win at Villa Park on Monday night and reinforcing an already formidable defence with an England international has underlined Arsenal’s strongest suit.

So far this season, they have faced the fewest shots (11) and shots on target (one) and have allowed opponents the lowest collective expected goals tally (0.54) of any side. They are yet to concede a goal in three games, including the 3-0 Community Shield win against Manchester City.

Arsenal are yet to concede a goal in any competition this season [BBC]

Chelsea’s start to the season has been of a different ilk entirely, so too the nature of their transfer business.

Deadline day saw midfielder Enzo Fernandez depart for City in a move which matched the British transfer record fee of £125m that Liverpool paid to Newcastle for Alexander Isak’s services last summer.

In total, 14 players have left Stamford Bridge in the transfer window, with 13 coming in, at a trading profit of more than £45m.

Chelsea’s frenetic transfer activity has been matched by events on the pitch, with their two Premier League games so far featuring 12 goals in wins against Fulham and Brighton.

They could become the first side to see their opening three games of a top-flight season each feature five or more goals since Arsenal themselves in 1988.

Midfielder Cole Palmer was back to his best in helping Chelsea beat Brighton 4-3 last weekend, scoring what proved to be the winner in the 74th minute.

The England international has scored 49 goals in 98 Premier League games for Chelsea since joining from Manchester City for £40m in 2023.

Should he score against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, Palmer will become only the third Chelsea player to reach a half-century of Premier League goals in fewer than 100 games.