Arsenal vs Chelsea LIVE: Team news and line-ups ahead of Premier League clash

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

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.