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The first true heavyweight encounter of the 2026-27 Premier League season is upon us.

On Sunday (kicking off at 4.30pm BST/11.30am ET/8.30am PT), defending champions Arsenal welcome London rivals Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta’s team have begun the top-flight campaign with back-to-back wins, but so have Chelsea, who are one of the division’s many big-hitters at the start of a new era and a team who have scored seven goals but conceded five in those opening two matches.

So where will this game be won and lost? And what are the key selection dilemmas facing Arteta and counterpart (and boyhood team-mate) Xabi Alonso?

The Athletic’s Arsenal writer James McNicholas and Chelsea reporter Liam Twomey break down the main talking points.

What did you make of the other club’s summer transfer window overall?

James McNicholas: In an assessment that will be familiar to Arsenal fans, I’d probably say promising but incomplete. The late loss of Enzo Fernandez confirmed Chelsea’s remarkable ability to turn a profit on their acquisitions, but the failure to replace him leaves a yawning gap in their midfield.

I like the addition of some experience to a previously callow squad. Arsenal supporters know what an excellent dressing-room character Danny Welbeck can be — and how impactful a fired-up Emi Martinez can be, too. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s marquee addition is Morgan Rogers, a player Arsenal targeted at the outset of the summer window.

Liam Twomey: There was a lot of focus on Arsenal’s inability to bring in a superstar after trying for Vinicius Junior, but they were always recruiting from a higher base than their Premier League rivals, given the quality of their squad.

I thought the business they did get done was smart and sensible. Bruno Guimaraes brings qualities their midfield was lacking, Ezri Konsa is as good a stand-in for the currently injured William Saliba as you could hope for, and Christos Tzolis has already shown bright flashes. The departures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have perhaps left them a little thin on the left wing, but I don’t expect that to cost them much in the Premier League.

What do you expect from Rogers in this game after both these teams battled for his signature in the summer?

McNicholas: In some respects, I think Chelsea are a better tactical fit for Rogers. In their system, he can operate as one of two No 10s, combining with his close friend Cole Palmer. At Arsenal, Rogers would most likely have been asked to play as a more conventional left-winger — Arteta often asks his wide players to hug the touchline and provide width. His powerful running has caused Arsenal issues before, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him offer a threat again on Sunday.

Twomey: Rogers has started really encouragingly for Chelsea. His personal chemistry with Palmer is translating onto the pitch, and he is already linking up well with striker Joao Pedro, too.

He understands his role in Alonso’s system and brings a power and physicality to the attacking unit that has been lacking. The only concern is that while he is committed to his pressing duties, he can switch off defensively and fail to track runners, contributing to Chelsea’s broader vulnerability out of possession.

Rogers will be a big threat to Arsenal’s defence but also someone they may try to exploit at the other end of the pitch.

Rogers, who was also targeted by Arsenal in this summer’s window, joined Chelsea for £117m (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

What are the talking points for your manager in this game when it comes to team selection?

McNicholas: Arteta’s main selection decisions revolve around his three major summer signings: Konsa, Guimaraes and Tzolis.

The latter was withdrawn at half-time in the previous game at Villa on Monday, having picked up a booking. Eberechi Eze came on for him and played a part in creating the winner, so Arteta must now choose who will start on the left.

In the absence of Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera has been deputing at centre-back. With Mosquera withdrawn against Villa as he appeared on the cusp of an injury, summer signing Konsa might be in line for his first Arsenal start, alongside Gabriel.

Arteta may also opt for Guimaraes in midfield over Myles Lewis-Skelly. The Brazilian returned to the squad at Villa Park after a groin problem prevented him from playing in the season opener against Coventry and came on to good effect in the second half.

Twomey: Moises Caicedo. He missed the opening-weekend win over Fulham and then left their victory over Brighton last Sunday 14 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute. The big fear around Stamford Bridge is that his body is finally feeling the effects of his lack of rest over the past few years, and that he may be about to endure the kind of stop-start season Palmer just had.

That would be a big problem for Alonso given his lack of alternatives in central midfield, particularly after the sale of Fernandez and the collapse of Lamine Camara’s proposed move from Monacoon deadline day.

Chelsea’s wing-back slots also feel quite open. Pedro Neto and Malo Gusto are vying for the job on the right, and Jorrel Hato has not yet nailed down his place on the opposite flank following the summer sale of Marc Cucurella.

Key midfielder Moises Caicedo is an injury doubt again for Chelsea (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)

What does your club’s fanbase expect from them this season?

McNicholas: With so many of their likely challengers in a transitional phase, many Arsenal supporters sense there is an opportunity for their club to dominate domestically.

Arsenal haven’t retained the league title since 1935, so it would be a notable feat if they could go back-to-back in the Premier League. Unlike their guests from west London, they’ve also never won the Champions League. After going so close in Budapest in May, that competition also provides a focus for Arteta and his players over the coming months.

Twomey: There may be Chelsea fans who genuinely expect a title challenge this season, but I haven’t spoken to any of them.

Most seem realistic enough to know how far the club have been from that level since they last lifted the champions’ trophy in 2017. Champions League qualification has proven difficult enough in the five-year BlueCo ownership era, so putting together the kind of season which yields a drama-free passage into the 2027-28 edition of that competition would be a significant step forward — along with a serious crack at one, or both, of the domestic cups.

What are your predictions for this match?

McNicholas: There’s no doubt that Chelsea have an incredibly talented attack — and it’s clear that Palmer has rediscovered his mojo. That makes them a considerable threat, but the loss of Fernandez is also a major blow. I don’t believe they have the depth and quality to live with Arsenal in midfield, and I think that’s where — especially with home advantage — Arteta’s team will gain the upper hand. Prediction: 2-1.

Twomey: Chelsea are in much better physical condition than they were last season, and their attackers are very confident. I expect them to cause plenty of problems and score at least once, perhaps even twice. But this team make plenty of mistakes out of possession, and Arsenal are a side who punish errors. This should be a fun game, but the champions will have a little too much for Alonso’s developing team. Prediction: 3-2.