Arsenal out to end Chelsea hex in Premier League play in London derby
It's been a while since Arsenal has beaten Chelsea in Premier League play, and Saturday (12:30 p.m., NBCSN) brings the Blues a chance to extend their league unbeaten run in this London derby to 10.
Dating back to October 2011, Chelsea is 6-0-3 against the Gunners in league play, with Arsenal failing to score in any of the three draws and only having a Community Shield triumph last August to look back on for head-to-head confidence.
Arsene Wenger's side enters on a three-game winning streak, though, outscoring opponents 9-3 and getting contributions from new signings Lucas Perez and Granit Xhaka in a midweek League Cup victory. The in-form attack runs headfirst into Antonio Conte's defend-and-counter tactical plan, which has yielded mixed results thus far. Chelsea was on a roll to start the season, but it fell to Liverpool last weekend after an unsatisfying draw against Swansea, leaving plenty of room for improvement.
Much figures to revolve around Diego Costa, who has been a villain with his customary antics in past encounters against Arsenal, but whose late-game heroics have saved Chelsea time and again this season. With both on 10 points with identical records and each bringing its own style to the Emirates, it promises to be a fascinating show.
