Arsenal vs. Chelsea: Team News, Predicted Line-Ups, Live Stream and TV Info

Here is the big one. Arsenal may well have slipped down to third in the Premier League table after Manchester City beat Aston Villa on Saturday, but such has been the Gunners' form, they're being touted as Chelsea's main rivals for this season and beyond.

Arsene Wenger's men are in a rich vein of form, winning their last nine matches in all competitions.

That run of form has seen them usurp City in the title race—they have two games in hand—also reaching the FA Cup final for the second season running.

Facing Chelsea, it's the biggest test of this resurgent Arsenal. Are they the real deal? Or are the Gunners just pretenders?

Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press

Jose Mourinho's side have been the Premier League's stand-out side this term. They have led from the opening weekend and will be worthy champions when the time eventually comes.

If they come away from the Emirates Stadium with all three points, that could come as early as Wednesday evening when they travel to Leicester City.

If not, they may well be forced to wait a few more days until they face Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on May 3.

Mourinho is unbeaten against Wenger in 12 matches, a run that has seen the Chelsea boss record seven wins in the process.

Chelsea haven't just dominated Arsenal in that time, they have crushed them. Indeed, Arsenal haven't scored against Chelsea since January 2013, conceding 10 goals in that time.

So what will happen on Sunday?

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

We can expect something like what we saw against Manchester United last weekend.

Chelsea only had 30 per cent of possession in that game, but it mattered for little as they won 1-0. Mourinho sought to control the game through dominating United defensively, turning over possession to hit hard through Eden Hazard.

It worked perfectly.

This time out, Chelsea have no need to take the game to Arsenal; it's rather the opposite.

With the title race all but over, this game is about Wenger's men breaking their Mourinho hoodoo and setting down a marker for next season.

Can they?

Date: Sunday, April 26

Time: 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET

Venue: Emirates Stadium, London

TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK only)/NBCSN (U.S. only)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only)/NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)

Team News

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Per Mertesacker is expected to undergo a late fitness test ahead of Chelsea's visit to the Emirates Stadium.

The German has been struggling with an ankle injury, so if he doesn't make it to face Chelsea we can expect either Calum Chambers or Gabriel Paulista to deputise alongside Laurent Koscielny at the heart of defence.

Outside of that, it's just Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who remains on the treatment table for Arsenal. He is expected to be out until early May with a groin injury.

As for Chelsea, will they have any fit strikers?

Diego Costa remains a doubt with his hamstring injury, while Loic Remy continues to struggle with a calf problem. To make matters worse, Didier Drogba has an ankle knock, meaning 17-year-old Dominic Solanke could start as the main striker.

Should it come to that, Mourinho will probably opt for one of his attacking midfielders to lead the line, rather than throwing in such an inexperienced youngster.

A game of this magnitude isn't any place to be cutting your teeth and Mourinho is a manager who knows that better than most.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Last 5 games

March 17	Monaco 0-2 Arsenal
March 21	Newcastle United 1-2 Arsenal
April 4	Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool
April 11	Burnley 0-1 Arsenal
April 18	Reading 1-2 Arsenal (AET)

March 15	Chelsea 1-1 Southampton
March 22	Hull City 2-3 Chelsea
April 4	Chelsea 2-1 Stoke City
April 12	QPR 0-1 Chelsea
April 18	Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

Players to watch

Mesut Ozil

Bogdan Maran/Associated Press

So much has been made of Alexis Sanchez and his form this season, it's allowed the focus to be taken from Mesut Ozil.

Now fully match fit after a long injury lay-off, the German international is proving a key figure for Arsenal, producing the moments of magic we had come to expect from him in the past.

Ozil hasn't quite done it against the biggest teams in the Premier League, though, so could this Sunday be the moment he announces himself?

Arsenal are in excellent form and when things are going right, it gives confidence to the likes of Ozil.

Expect a big performance from him.

Cesc Fabregas

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

There isn't another Chelsea player who will attract half as much attention as Cesc Fabregas on Sunday.

Returning to his old stomping ground, this isn't going to a homecoming like we saw Frank Lampard receive from the Chelsea support in January.

There is an air of bitterness surrounding Fabregas, with the Spaniard having shunned the Gunners twice—first when he left for Barcelona, and then last summer when he joined Chelsea.

Had he not achieved much at Stamford Bridge, it would probably have made things a lot easier to accept for the Arsenal faithful, but Fabregas has been such a key figure for Chelsea, it only serves as a reminder as to what the Gunners are missing out on.

He's going to be a Premier League champion come May.

Prediction

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea

Odds

Home win: 6/4

Away win: 2/1

Draw: 9/4

First goalscorer: No goalscorer (9/1)

*Odds via Oddschecker

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes