Chelsea vs Arsenal LIVE: Latest Premier League updates

Chelsea ended a three-match losing streak against Arsenal in all competitions by winning 2-0 away in August but Arsenal’s 1-0 victory in May last season was their first in nine Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge (two draws, six defeats).

Victory tonight would leave Chelsea needing just seven points from the remaining 21 available to secure a top-four finish and make it into the Champions League next season.

Chelsea boss Tuchel conceded he cannot decide whether England defender James is better at right wing-back or right centre-back.

James missed two months at the turn of the year through hamstring trouble, only to be sidelined again with a recurrence in March.

Tuchel revealed deploying James on the right of a three-man defence has not only helped combat standout left-sided opponents in recent weeks, but also helped keep the 22-year-old fresh.

“He can play both positions brilliantly, but we can only select him once,” said Tuchel.

Thomas Tuchel makes four changes to the Chelsea team that started against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup at the weekend. Malang Sarr replaces Antonio Rudiger in the back line. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante replace Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho in midfield with Romelu Lukaku up front instead of Kai Havertz.

There are three changes for Arsenal. Cedric Soares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Gabriel Martinelli all drop out with Mohamed Elneny, Emile Smith Rowe and Rob Holding brought in.

Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Christensen, Sarr, Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Kante, Alonso, Mount, Lukaku, Werner

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Holding, Tavares, Xhaka, Elneny, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Nketiah

Speaking on ITV, Cole said: “Lukaku has six weeks to save his Chelsea career. You look at Werner and he doesn’t give up. Lukaku wants to be that focal point but he missed a chance. When it’s not going for you, it’s not going for you.”

Stamford Bridge hosts tonight London derby and it’s set to be a good night for it. Team news should be out soon.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said their rivals for the Champions League places had failed to capitalise on the “huge advantage” they were given after early cup exits allowed them to focus on the race for the top four.

Chelsea have reached the final of the FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup, as well as the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and have played more games this season than any other Premier League club.

Despite their intense schedule Chelsea have a strong grip on third place in the league, leading fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by five points and having played two games fewer. Arsenal and Manchester United are a further three points back.

Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, still believes that the team can be successful with Romelu Lukaku leading the line despite the forward struggling for goals throughout the season.

“We are not there anymore,” Tuchel said of the forward’s early-season form. “He doesn’t have the influence that he had then because it was a very promising start.

“There have been turbulences since then throughout this long period of time but we are trying everything and he has our support to reach this kind of level again. It’s in him and in us. I think he is still at the right place but there are things to improve from all of us so we will not give up.

“For us it’s clear that we can play with Romelu and we can be very strong with Romelu. We proved it, he proved it and he will prove it if he stays involved mentally and he stays involved in the situation. He can grow from it and come out stronger, it’s always like this.

“For sure it’s disappointing for him and not what we or what he expected at the moment but it’s not finished and we will not give in. We never give in with any players and he never gives in. We will push him as far as we can and as long as the player stays involved in the mentality that is needed to bring a team forward, he can still be a crucial player.”

More from Mikel Arteta who outlined why finishing in the Champions League spots is so important for Arsenal to achieve this season.

“Champions League brings first of all the club much closer to where we want [to be].” said the Gunners’ boss, “To play in a competition that has a huge history and relation to our club.

“And secondly, obviously, it improves every situation, with the sponsors, financially, expectations, the capacity to grow our players and expose them into a different dimension of a competition and this is where we want to be, so it’s a game-changer.

“The Champions League puts you with the best teams in Europe and we definitely want to be there.”