Chelsea against Arsenal

Essien has been quite impressive since his introduction; he is very energetic and determined, and shown some nice touches on the ball, too.

SUB: Flamini on, Fabregas off. One inexperienced midfielder replaces another for Arsenal, highlighting the problems they face ahead this season.

Del Horno is down again after attempting to break through a couple of Arsenal challenges. He requires some treatment for what seems to be a knee injury.

Henry collects the ball 30 yards out, spins, and fires a left-foot shot straight at Cech.

Del Horno cooly heads back to Cech, though Henry was only a couple of yards from intercepting it.

Arsenal are starting to show a few signs of frustration; Lauren is lucky not to get booked for a show of dissent when a handball decision goes against him.

Arsenal enjoy a good spell of pressure, but Cole's sloppy pass in to the feet of Hleb almost allows Drogba a clear run at Senderos through the middle of the field.

Terry and Del Horno combine to snuff out a Van Persie foray down the right channel. The goal has lifted the Chelsea crowd, and they're right behind their men now.

A swift counter-attack from Chelsea ends when Gallas lashes an optimistic 25-yard shot straight at Lehmann.

Oooh! Henry cuts in from the left wing, and fires a low shot goalwards, which Cech rather makes a meal of turning around his near post.

Essien shows great strength and determination as he holds off Cole down near the corner flag. His low cross is cleared by Senderos, but Chelsea's new signing has shown some promising signs.

Drogba should be embarrassed to claim that goal; the ball bounced off his shin without him knowing anything about it, and before he knew it the ball was dribbling past Lehmann and crossing the goal-line.

GOAL! Drogba makes the breakthrough for the home side. He bursts in to the area, attempting to get on the end of Lampard's chipped pass, mis-controls the ball and it bobbles past Lehmann off his shin. Very lucky.

Oooh! Tour surges down the right wing, evading a couple of challenges before clipping a low cross in to the middle. Van Persie gets in front of his marker, but flicks wide of the near post from a tight angle.

The Chelsea fans show their frustration as another tame free-kick decision goes against SWP.

Oooh! Cech collects the ball under his cross-bar after a flat, hard free-kick had been flicked goalwards by Senderos.

Del Horno curls a great ball in to the penalty area towards Drogba, though Lehmann is alert enough to come off his line and collect before the cross reaches the Chelsea striker.

Del Horno injures himself in putting out the ball for a corner; with Chelsea having already used all three of their substitutions, the Spanish left-back seems resigned to playing on through the pain.

Oooh! Essien plays a good cross-field pass to SWP, who does well to keep the ball in play down on the by-line. The little winger clips a cross in to the middle, but Lehmann springs high to collect, with Drogba waiting to pounce on any mistake.

Arsenal win a couple of corners in succession, though the delivery from Pires is poor each time. SWP is then brought down by Cole on the touchline. Free kick.

Cole wins a challenge with SWP for the third time in as many minutes; the defender is very quick to close down the winger when he gets the ball, not allowing him time to turn and run at him.

Fabregas chips a ball in towards Van Persie, breaking in to the Chelsea area. Toure stands firm, though, and puts the ball out for a throw.

Wright-Phillips has taken his place up on the right wing for Chelsea, meaning he is up against England colleague Ashley Cole; that should be an intriguing battle for the final half-hour of this match.

Essien is a short, stockily-built young man, and doesn't look like a man to back down from a physical challenge.

SUB: Robben, Gudjohnsen off; Essien and SWP on for Chelsea. Mourinho has now used all three of his substitutes as they look to finish this game strongly.

Oooh! Lampard clips a left-foot shot in behind the Arsenal back-line, but Drogba's first-time shot from ten yards is sliced badly wide.

Henry and Van Persie combine on the edge of the penalty area, but their play is just a little too cute and Chelsea hack clear.

The game has become a little more stretched at the start of this second half, and Arsenal are having the better of the opening exchanges.

Hleb is continuing his impressive first-half performance; he rarely wastes a pass and has been Arsenal's most creative player so far.

Drogba brings down a difficult ball inside the Arsenal area, but Senderos is quick to get across and put the ball out for a throw.

Oooh! A great Arsenal counter attack. Cole belts a superb cross-field pass to Henry in the area; he controls the ball beautifully, but his shot from a tight angle is way off target.

A nice spell of possession for Arsenal ends when Fabregas slices a 20-yard shot well wide of Cech's post.

Van Persie is booked after kicking out at Duff. Gallas isn't impressed with the young Arsenal man's actions, and earns himself a yellow card for eyeballing Van Persie in the aftermath.

It's turning in to a beautiful afternoon in West London; sunshine is bathing half the pitch, and it is quite warm down there at pitch-level.

Lampard is furious with the referee when a free-kick decision goes against his side. The official asks him to calm down. Everyone moves on.

Lampard immediately tries to get Drogba involved in the action as he lofts a ball over the head of Senderos for his team-mate to chase.

This is Mourinho's 40th Premiership match in charge, and he's already recorded 30 victories. His side will need to step up a gear if they are to add to that figure.

There has been a Chelsea substitution at half-time: Drogba on for Crespo.

HALF-TIME: A 45 minutes that neither side have dominated, although perhaps Chelsea have shown the more ambition. We await the arrival of Essien with some interest...

Pires flashes a volley a few yards wide of the post after Hleb's cross is half-cleared and drops to him 20 yards out.

Chelsea are finishing the half stronger than Arsenal, although it's hardly backs-to-the-walls stuff.

Robben wins his side a corner when he sprints on to Lampard's lofted pass over the top of Ashley Cole.

A sloppy pass from Van Persie puts Arsenal on the back foot, though Duff eventually runs the ball to far and the visitors win a goal-kick.

Oooh! Lehmann makes another crucial interception as Lampard brilliantly clips a left-foot cross to the far post, where Robben prods goalwards.

Essien is seen warming up once more; a possible half-time introduction for the former Lyon man?

Gallas does well to maintain his composure and determination as he robs Henry. Although Arsenal are only playing one man up front, they are getting plenty support to him and look a threat.

It has been a very organised and disciplined performance from both sides; perhaps at this early stage, the two managers are thinking less about winning, and more of not getting beaten.

Crespo is again caught off-side on the right-hand flank, though he is insistant that Lauren was playing him on-side; his pleadings fall on deaf ears.

Arsenal are content to be very patient, and are trying to build slowly from the back.

Neither keeper has been forced in to making a decent save so far in this match; it certainly hasn't been a sparkling performance from either side.

Oooh! Pires sends over a second dangerous corner, which Gudjohnsen is forced to head over his own bar, under pressure from Toure.

Del Horno puts the ball out for a corner after Van Persie had got to the touchline and chipped over a high-cross to the far post.

Lehmann collects at full-stretch as Robben whipped a dangerous set-piece in to a busy Arsenal penalty area.

Hleb has made a promising start on his full Arsenal Premiership debut; he isn't afraid to run at defenders and has fitted in to the system very easily.

Lampard wastes a good opportunity to but the visitors under pressure when he under-hits his free-kick in to the middle. Disappointing.

New signing Michael Essien receives a cheer as he does some gentle warm-ups on the touchline. He seems very relaxed about his big day.

Oooh! Lampard plays a great ball over the top of the Arsenal defence, though Crespo is stopped in his tracks by an off-side flag.

SUB: Ljungberg departs the field on a stretcher, and is replaced by Van Persie. Pires has moved over to the right wing to accomodate the switch.

Cole is complaining to referee Poll that he might have won a penalty decision when he fell inside the area a few moments ago. Television replays show that the full-back might have a reasonable case.

Ljungberg seems to be struggling once more with this calf injury. Arsenal are preparing to substitute the winger.

Great skills on the ball from Gilberto, as he collects a sharply-hit pass in midfield and evades his marker with a deft drag-back.

Chelsea break down the left through Crespo, but Arsenal are so quick to get men back behind the ball and snuff out any danger.

The pace and action have certainly slowed in the last ten minutes or so, after quite a bright start from both sides.

Robben and Duff have switched wings in an effort to get more joy in attack against a well organised Arsenal defence.

The crowd seem a little subdued at the moment; it isn't the sort of white-hot atmosphere you might usually expect from one of these matches.

A loose pass from Fabregas almost lets in Crespo, but Toure is quick to get back and barge the Argentinian striker off the ball as he closed in in the Arsenal area.

I'd say that Arsenal have had the better of the opening few minutes at Stamford Bridge; they have retained possession superbly and created a couple of half-chances already.

Ljungberg doesn't seem to be showing any ill-effects of the calf injury as he sprints down the right and clips a dangerous cross in to the Chelsea area.

Ljungberg is forced to undergo some treatment on his calf; he withdrew from Sweden's international squad in mid-week because of the same problem. He's soon back in the thick of the action.

Oooh! Terry threatens from a Chelsea corner, as he gets in behind his marker and prods a tame shot a yard or so wide of Lehmann's near post.

Oooh! Henry finds a little space down the left channel; he glides in to the penalty box before firing a low cross towards Ljungberg, but the Swede fires over the bar from a couple of metres out.

Arsenal are doing a good job of keeping the ball inside the Chelsea half; they are prodding and probing for an opening, though Chelsea maintain their shape and clear the danger.

Good defending from Del Horno, as he matches Pires stride-for-stride as they chase down a bass down the right channel.

Toure stays calm as he is pressurised in possession by Crespo and Robben, Toure making his 100th Premiership appearance for the Gunners this afternoon.

Lauren earns a stern word from referee Poll after a foul on Robben; the Arsenal man voiciferously pleads his case, but Poll stands firm.

Cech's momentum carries him outside of the penalty area with the ball in his hands, though the referee deems that Henry had given the giant goalkeeper a shove in the back.

Robben had a superb game for Holland in their midweek friendly against Germany; the pacy winger is starting in his usual position on the Chelsea left.

Harry Redknapp and Alan Pardew are spotted amongst the crowd at Stamford Bridge. They look content, bordering on smug.

Duff is fouled out on the right touchline; he gets to his feet a little gingerly, and with a rueful look.

Chelsea haven't beaten Arsenal for 19 league matches, spanning almost 10 years; they last beat their north London rivals on September 30 1995.

Joe Cole isn't even on the bench for Chelsea this afternoon; that must be terribly disappointing for him. He's fallen some way down the pecking order at the start of this season.

Oooh! What a start to this game. Ljungberg lays a nice ball in to the path of Henry, but his measured shot flies a yard or so wide of Cech's goal.

Oooh! Lehmann does well to force Duff out wide when he is found by a nice through ball from Lampard. The Irish winger rounds the keeper, but his cross towards Crespo is blocked; corner.

Hleb seems to be playing in central midfield, with Pires in a more advanced position behind Henry.

Chelsea kick off; the weather is set fair, and the atmosphere seems a little tense.

The players are lining up in the tunnel; Henry and good pal Makelele share a joke; both teams seem very relaxed and looking forward to this massive match.

Meanwhile, Alexander Hleb has been handed his full Arsenal debut, with Robin Van Persie and Dennis Bergkamp on the bench.

Chelsea's new signing Michael Essien starts on the bench, with Hernan Crespo, scorer of a last-minute winner against Wigan last week, was preferred in attack to Didier Drogba.

Oooh! Cech collects the ball under his cross-bar after a flat, hard free-kick had been flicked goalwards by Senderos.

Del Horno curls a great ball in to the penalty area towards Drogba, though Lehmann is alert enough to come off his line and collect before the cross reaches the Chelsea striker.

Del Horno injures himself in putting out the ball for a corner; with Chelsea having already used all three of their substitutions, the Spanish left-back seems resigned to playing on through the pain.

Oooh! Essien plays a good cross-field pass to SWP, who does well to keep the ball in play down on the by-line. The little winger clips a cross in to the middle, but Lehmann springs high to collect, with Drogba waiting to pounce on any mistake.

Arsenal win a couple of corners in succession, though the delivery from Pires is poor each time. SWP is then brought down by Cole on the touchline. Free kick.

Cole wins a challenge with SWP for the third time in as many minutes; the defender is very quick to close down the winger when he gets the ball, not allowing him time to turn and run at him.

Fabregas chips a ball in towards Van Persie, breaking in to the Chelsea area. Toure stands firm, though, and puts the ball out for a throw.

Wright-Phillips has taken his place up on the right wing for Chelsea, meaning he is up against England colleague Ashley Cole; that should be an intriguing battle for the final half-hour of this match.

Essien is a short, stockily-built young man, and doesn't look like a man to back down from a physical challenge.

SUB: Robben, Gudjohnsen off; Essien and SWP on for Chelsea. Mourinho has now used all three of his substitutes as they look to finish this game strongly.

Oooh! Lampard clips a left-foot shot in behind the Arsenal back-line, but Drogba's first-time shot from ten yards is sliced badly wide.

Henry and Van Persie combine on the edge of the penalty area, but their play is just a little too cute and Chelsea hack clear.

The game has become a little more stretched at the start of this second half, and Arsenal are having the better of the opening exchanges.

Hleb is continuing his impressive first-half performance; he rarely wastes a pass and has been Arsenal's most creative player so far.

Drogba brings down a difficult ball inside the Arsenal area, but Senderos is quick to get across and put the ball out for a throw.

Oooh! A great Arsenal counter attack. Cole belts a superb cross-field pass to Henry in the area; he controls the ball beautifully, but his shot from a tight angle is way off target.

A nice spell of possession for Arsenal ends when Fabregas slices a 20-yard shot well wide of Cech's post.

Van Persie is booked after kicking out at Duff. Gallas isn't impressed with the young Arsenal man's actions, and earns himself a yellow card for eyeballing Van Persie in the aftermath.

It's turning in to a beautiful afternoon in West London; sunshine is bathing half the pitch, and it is quite warm down there at pitch-level.

Lampard is furious with the referee when a free-kick decision goes against his side. The official asks him to calm down. Everyone moves on.

Lampard immediately tries to get Drogba involved in the action as he lofts a ball over the head of Senderos for his team-mate to chase.

This is Mourinho's 40th Premiership match in charge, and he's already recorded 30 victories. His side will need to step up a gear if they are to add to that figure.

There has been a Chelsea substitution at half-time: Drogba on for Crespo.

HALF-TIME: A 45 minutes that neither side have dominated, although perhaps Chelsea have shown the more ambition. We await the arrival of Essien with some interest...

Pires flashes a volley a few yards wide of the post after Hleb's cross is half-cleared and drops to him 20 yards out.

Chelsea are finishing the half stronger than Arsenal, although it's hardly backs-to-the-walls stuff.

Robben wins his side a corner when he sprints on to Lampard's lofted pass over the top of Ashley Cole.

A sloppy pass from Van Persie puts Arsenal on the back foot, though Duff eventually runs the ball to far and the visitors win a goal-kick.

Oooh! Lehmann makes another crucial interception as Lampard brilliantly clips a left-foot cross to the far post, where Robben prods goalwards.

Essien is seen warming up once more; a possible half-time introduction for the former Lyon man?

Gallas does well to maintain his composure and determination as he robs Henry. Although Arsenal are only playing one man up front, they are getting plenty support to him and look a threat.

It has been a very organised and disciplined performance from both sides; perhaps at this early stage, the two managers are thinking less about winning, and more of not getting beaten.

Crespo is again caught off-side on the right-hand flank, though he is insistant that Lauren was playing him on-side; his pleadings fall on deaf ears.

Arsenal are content to be very patient, and are trying to build slowly from the back.

Neither keeper has been forced in to making a decent save so far in this match; it certainly hasn't been a sparkling performance from either side.

Oooh! Pires sends over a second dangerous corner, which Gudjohnsen is forced to head over his own bar, under pressure from Toure.

Del Horno puts the ball out for a corner after Van Persie had got to the touchline and chipped over a high-cross to the far post.

Lehmann collects at full-stretch as Robben whipped a dangerous set-piece in to a busy Arsenal penalty area.

Hleb has made a promising start on his full Arsenal Premiership debut; he isn't afraid to run at defenders and has fitted in to the system very easily.

Lampard wastes a good opportunity to but the visitors under pressure when he under-hits his free-kick in to the middle. Disappointing.

New signing Michael Essien receives a cheer as he does some gentle warm-ups on the touchline. He seems very relaxed about his big day.

Oooh! Lampard plays a great ball over the top of the Arsenal defence, though Crespo is stopped in his tracks by an off-side flag.

SUB: Ljungberg departs the field on a stretcher, and is replaced by Van Persie. Pires has moved over to the right wing to accomodate the switch.

Cole is complaining to referee Poll that he might have won a penalty decision when he fell inside the area a few moments ago. Television replays show that the full-back might have a reasonable case.

Ljungberg seems to be struggling once more with this calf injury. Arsenal are preparing to substitute the winger.

Great skills on the ball from Gilberto, as he collects a sharply-hit pass in midfield and evades his marker with a deft drag-back.

Chelsea break down the left through Crespo, but Arsenal are so quick to get men back behind the ball and snuff out any danger.

The pace and action have certainly slowed in the last ten minutes or so, after quite a bright start from both sides.

Robben and Duff have switched wings in an effort to get more joy in attack against a well organised Arsenal defence.

The crowd seem a little subdued at the moment; it isn't the sort of white-hot atmosphere you might usually expect from one of these matches.

A loose pass from Fabregas almost lets in Crespo, but Toure is quick to get back and barge the Argentinian striker off the ball as he closed in in the Arsenal area.

I'd say that Arsenal have had the better of the opening few minutes at Stamford Bridge; they have retained possession superbly and created a couple of half-chances already.

Ljungberg doesn't seem to be showing any ill-effects of the calf injury as he sprints down the right and clips a dangerous cross in to the Chelsea area.

Ljungberg is forced to undergo some treatment on his calf; he withdrew from Sweden's international squad in mid-week because of the same problem. He's soon back in the thick of the action.

Oooh! Terry threatens from a Chelsea corner, as he gets in behind his marker and prods a tame shot a yard or so wide of Lehmann's near post.

Oooh! Henry finds a little space down the left channel; he glides in to the penalty box before firing a low cross towards Ljungberg, but the Swede fires over the bar from a couple of metres out.

Arsenal are doing a good job of keeping the ball inside the Chelsea half; they are prodding and probing for an opening, though Chelsea maintain their shape and clear the danger.

Good defending from Del Horno, as he matches Pires stride-for-stride as they chase down a bass down the right channel.

Toure stays calm as he is pressurised in possession by Crespo and Robben, Toure making his 100th Premiership appearance for the Gunners this afternoon.

Lauren earns a stern word from referee Poll after a foul on Robben; the Arsenal man voiciferously pleads his case, but Poll stands firm.

Cech's momentum carries him outside of the penalty area with the ball in his hands, though the referee deems that Henry had given the giant goalkeeper a shove in the back.

Robben had a superb game for Holland in their midweek friendly against Germany; the pacy winger is starting in his usual position on the Chelsea left.

Harry Redknapp and Alan Pardew are spotted amongst the crowd at Stamford Bridge. They look content, bordering on smug.

Duff is fouled out on the right touchline; he gets to his feet a little gingerly, and with a rueful look.

Chelsea haven't beaten Arsenal for 19 league matches, spanning almost 10 years; they last beat their north London rivals on September 30 1995.

Joe Cole isn't even on the bench for Chelsea this afternoon; that must be terribly disappointing for him. He's fallen some way down the pecking order at the start of this season.

Oooh! What a start to this game. Ljungberg lays a nice ball in to the path of Henry, but his measured shot flies a yard or so wide of Cech's goal.

Oooh! Lehmann does well to force Duff out wide when he is found by a nice through ball from Lampard. The Irish winger rounds the keeper, but his cross towards Crespo is blocked; corner.

Hleb seems to be playing in central midfield, with Pires in a more advanced position behind Henry.

Chelsea kick off; the weather is set fair, and the atmosphere seems a little tense.

The players are lining up in the tunnel; Henry and good pal Makelele share a joke; both teams seem very relaxed and looking forward to this massive match.

Meanwhile, Alexander Hleb has been handed his full Arsenal debut, with Robin Van Persie and Dennis Bergkamp on the bench.

Chelsea's new signing Michael Essien starts on the bench, with Hernan Crespo, scorer of a last-minute winner against Wigan last week, was preferred in attack to Didier Drogba.