You ever watch Arsenal lately and think "what's Martin Zubimendi doing in that position?" Me too. Since December, Arsenal have unlocked an attacking force from their defensive midfielder and it's enabling Martin Odegaard to play his way too.

FT Chelsea 2, Arsenal 3 - Maybe closer than it ought to have been but a very impressive display by the visitors. Always felt like they had the ability to push clear when needed, a little bit more experience and edge than their hosts.

2-3, Garnacho

1-3, Zubimendi

1-2, Garnacho

I can't read minds but Kai Havertz has the look of someone who quite fancies getting on for a bit of this. That's if the almost manic way he was bouncing on his seat, waiting to get out for his warm up, is anything to go on.

0-2, Gyokeres

HT Chelsea 0, Arsenal 1 - I enjoyed that half quite a lot. Arsenal look the stronger but they have a weakness and maybe that LB spot is just the thermal exhaust port of this team. Chelsea and Estevao keep firing missiles in that direction. Yet to get a hit.

0-1, White

Break My Soul and Heartless played back to back at Stamford Bridge. Good 4 U earlier too. Is Enzo Maresca on PA duty tonight?

Another one to potentially add: Denmark is currently in Path D -> playing in Mexico against Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa. If they were to win the group, they stay in Mexico. Otherwise it'd be Seattle or Foxborough (Boston) - Which could be relevant if US invades Greenland.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Andrey Santos, Fernandez; Estevao, Joao Pedro, Neto; Guiu Arsenal XI: Kepa; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Arsenal’s 99th visit to Stamford Bridge. Big. Not the biggest. But big.

Finishing cold streak? That's a sacking. Try to carve out space for yourself on an org chart? That's a sacking. Attempt to implement the tactics you were very clear you would implement? That's a sacking. Compromise your tactics? You better believe that's a sacking.

Arsenal team news update from Arteta - Hincapie and Calafiori not available for Chelsea, Saliba and Trossard doubts - Hincapie status unclear, Calafiori still out for weeks with "muscle" injury - Dowman and Mosquera "evolving well, not training" and "a few weeks away"

Conor Gallagher as the solution to Tottenham's midfield progression problems is some outstandingly hair brained recruitment.

People say Real Madrid doesn't make sense. They're wrong. Real Madrid makes sense if you understand it as a Florentino Perez-Carlo Ancelotti rom com. They were made for each other. Fate just keeps pulling them apart.

You need a long view to assess academy performance but eight years of Mertesacker have been extremely impressive. Good work toughening the players he inherited early on (EFL Trophy for Saka etc) and now a string of real talents came all the way through over last 2 years. A real loss for Arsenal.

Kai Havertz is in contention to make his comeback for Arsenal against Portsmouth tomorrow, Mikel Arteta has confirmed. “He trains well, he’s increased his load, he’s coping with that really well. And it will be great if we can have him.” Riccardo Calafiori still unavailable.

Arsenal are getting into positions for a cutback more than in almost any season under Mikel Arteta. And they are not scoring goals from those spots. A key factor in that has to be that their striker is not getting on the end of those deliveries.

Slot: "I don’t know Martinelli but he comes across as a nice guy. The problem for him and in general is there’s so much time wasting and players pretending they’re injured that you can be annoyed... I'm 100% sure that if [Martinelli] knew what the injury might be, he wouldn't do that."

Terms yet to be absolutely finalised but Eric Ramsay set to be named new West Brom head coach.

Two things I'd expect to see from Arsenal tonight - A short corner or two given Liverpool don't look that switched on at set pieces - The delivery to the back post for Trossard for much the same reason, see Tanaka last month Of course putting one on Gabriel's head might work pretty well too

Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Odegaard, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Granvenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Gakpo, Wirtz

We mustn’t forget, it’s been raining

It's the summer of 2020 and Arsenal are looking to sign an attacking midfielder. Edu's proposal? Willian. The recruitment department's? Dominik Szoboszlai. One of the many qualities they highlighted? His ability from set pieces.

A few years ago City might have a game like tonight’s where Haaland has eight out of their 13 shots but a few of the others drop to Gundogan or De Bruyne and they do something special at the death. That’s the team many have been seeing City as. And they aren’t that team anymore.

It's the summer of 2020 and Arsenal are looking to sign an attacking midfielder. Edu's proposal? Willian. The recruitment department's? Dominik Szoboszlai. One of the many qualities they highlighted? His ability from set pieces.

Champions of Ruben Amorim’s tenure, you’ll never sing that

Arsenal injury news ahead of Liverpool - Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera out but approaching last stage of rehab and could be available soon - Kai Havertz's load being monitored, Arteta hopes to have "the best version of Kai" very soon.

West Ham look doomed

It’s giving funereal

Hit the start button. Settings. Difficulty. Something easier than you just had. No one likes doing it. No one would rather have the computer complete the game for them.

Todd Boehly was a one year old the last time Chelsea had a manager who had been in place for six and a half years

Just popping on here to let you know we're almost halfway through Project 150. Season after next, that's when everything clicks. Manchester United, so nearly back.

At some stage you just can't argue with your results but Nancy leaves with a goal difference of minus-one in his seven Premiership games. The expected goal difference? Plus 11.6

Have Liverpool got some sort of dealing with balls over the top coach that they can sack?

One thing you’d say about Arsenal, they’ve learned the lessons of that Wolves game quite quickly. Played the closing stages of a one goal win very shrewdly, just as they did against Everton. Nothing unduly cavalier but more than enough threat to keep Bournemouth honest.

That goal just felt like the most inevitable thing when Gabriel made a howler. He always does this.

I really like Antoine Semenyo but the data doesn’t seem as convinced as I am. I assumed he’d swing a title race in a City shirt. Now I’m less sure www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/...

Have to admire Enzo Maresca’s certainty that he’ll get the vacancy at Manchester City in a world where Vincent Kompany has proven himself to be an at least cromulent coach.

It would have been the most natural thing in the world for Arsenal to scale back the press and drop deep when Aston Villa started driving through their lines early on. It seemed like Arsenal were playing with fire. Then they strode out onto the burning coals.

It would have been the most natural thing in the world for Arsenal to scale back the press and drop deep when Aston Villa started driving through their lines early on. It seemed like Arsenal were playing with fire. Then they strode out onto the burning coals.

I think Emi Martinez’s gamesmanship adds something to football. I’m just not sure it adds much positive to Aston Villa sometimes. So much time wasted in a first half where his team were on top and a corner where he seemed more focused on shoving Gabriel than the delivery.

Would happily never attend another 8:15 kick off. A shame that fans didn’t feel they could stay to soak in the joy at the end but plenty are going to have trains to rush to. Seems especially inconsiderate when we all know transport can be dodgy at this time of year.

Arteta says "swelling has to come right down" for Rice to be available at the weekend.

FT Arsenal 4, Aston Villa 1 - Amid all the talk of Arsenal lacking composure, authority or whatever you wanted to call it, a performance like that second half was totally predictable off the back of recent games. That doesn't make it any less impressive.

Villa just missed what must have been about a 0.9 xG chance.

Told you.

Merino really struggling with Onana so far. He's just too comfortable receiving the ball with his back to goal and turning. Similar issue with Gabriel and Rogers. And when Villa turn they're finding space to hit long balls because Arsenal have not dialled back the press.