<figure id="attachment_3291938" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3291938" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3291938" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/81e90ee6-arsenal-5.jpg" alt="Arsenal" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3291938" class="wp-caption-text">A commanding 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby provided a much-needed boost to leaders Arsenal. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
LONDON: The last time Arsenal beat Chelsea three times in the same season was also the last time they won the Premier League, in 2003-04. And while one may not necessarily lead to the other, Arsenal are going into Sunday&#8217;s clash desperate for a win to keep Manchester City at bay.
Arsenal, who finished second in the last three seasons, have struggled with the pressure of the title race in the current campaign as well, settling for back-to-back draws at Brentford and bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers this month.
Last weekend, leaders Arsenal bounced back with a commanding 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, but anything less than three points against Chelsea on Sunday will put them at risk of City, five points behind with a game in hand, closing the gap at the top.
City, meanwhile, are visiting a stubborn Leeds side who almost held them to a draw in November.
Any misstep by the top two sides will give Aston Villa, sitting five points below City ahead of Friday&#8217;s visit to Wolves, a sniff at re-entering the title race, with 10 matches still to go in the league after this weekend.
Arsenal look to avoid title race stumble against Chelsea
Last Sunday&#8217;s win over Spurs in the North London derby provided a much-needed boost to leaders Arsenal, and a win over their West London-based rivals will further consolidate their title charge.
Fifth-placed Chelsea have not beaten Arsenal since 2021 and lost twice in their League Cup semi-final tie in January-February, but had held Arsenal to a league draw in November despite playing most of the game with 10 men.
Arsenal also stumbled the last two times they hosted a club currently in the top six, sharing points with Liverpool and losing to Manchester United last month.
Avoiding the ignominy of losing three times in a season to their local rivals will also fuel Liam Rosenior, who has kept Chelsea unbeaten against all teams except Arsenal since taking charge last month.
City visit stubborn Leeds
Since January, five of the current top-six teams in the league have taken on lowly Leeds, and everyone except Arsenal ended up with one point.
Leeds, 15th in the table and six points above the relegation zone, began the calendar year with back-to-back draws against Liverpool and Manchester United, and in their last two league matches they held Chelsea and Aston Villa.
The other team in the top six, City, will visit Leeds looking to extend a five-match winning streak in all competitions, and keep up the pressure on leaders Arsenal.
But even City had to sweat when visitors Leeds had sprung a second-half comeback to threaten a 2-2 draw in November, before Phil Foden rescued Pep Guardiola&#8217;s side with an added-time winner.
Leeds under Daniel Farke, promoted in the summer, have been nothing if not stubborn, and will be up for a battle to extend their unbeaten streak to five games when they host City on Saturday.
Spurs seek urgent turnaround at Fulham
Spurs are the only team without a league win in 2026, and as they sit just four points above the relegation zone, their nine-match winless streak in the competition has become a critical roadblock to overcome for newly appointed manager Igor Tudor.
Tudor&#8217;s tenure got off to an inauspicious start as Spurs lost at home to Arsenal, leading him to criticise his players&#8217; lack of confidence.
&#8220;Where is the goal? What is the level? So today, totally different worlds. I need to be honest. Two totally different psychological and physical worlds,&#8221; Tudor said.
Spurs have picked up only two points in their last five league games, while three out of the four teams below them have earned five points or more, adding to Tudor&#8217;s urgency when his team visit 10th-placed Fulham on Sunday.
&#8220;What is the goal of this team? What is this goal of this coach, these players, this staff? To become serious. Serious, not just a group of 20 players,&#8221; Tudor added.

MatchPoint Times

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