The friendship between Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso will add a fascinating layer to an already intriguing London derby, with Arsenal and Chelsea both putting perfect Premier League starts on the line at the Emirates on Sunday.

Chelsea have opted for an unconventional method to prepare for their mouthwatering Premier League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Xabi Alonso said Chelsea are still a work in progress after a thrilling 4-3 win against Brighton on Sunday extended his perfect start as Blues boss.

Free-scoring Chelsea extended Xabi Alonso's perfect start as manager with an eye-catching 4-3 win against Brighton on Sunday.

Xabi Alonso said he wants players that "feel a desire" to play for Chelsea after Enzo Fernandez was left out of Thursday's League Cup win over Luton.

The Chelsea supporters happily dusted off their Cole Palmer song – something that was not heard much during that last campaign as he struggled with injury.

Xabi Alonso won his first game as Chelsea boss thanks to Morgan Rogers's debut goal and Joao Pedro's strike after just 31 seconds of a pulsating 3-2 victory against Fulham on Monday.

Regular football followers may feel a little estranged from the game this season. Fans, admirers and even rivals are bound to miss one familiar figure from the dugouts of the past two decades -- Pep Guardiola.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso refused to reveal if Enzo Fernandez wants to remain at Stamford Bridge after the Argentina midfielder was strongly linked with Manchester City.

Manager Xabi Alonso hailed Mykhailo Mudryk's "emotional" return from a doping ban as the winger played for Chelsea for the first time in nearly two years in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Juventus in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

The Premier League has never been afraid of change. Players come and go, fortunes rise and fall, owners rewrite club identities almost overnight. Yet for nearly four decades there was always a familiar figure standing in one of English football's biggest technical areas.

The 35-year-old striker completed a reported £5 million move from Brighton on Sunday, signing a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Mykhailo Mudryk will be welcomed with open arms when he rejoins Chelsea this week in Hong Kong, manager Xabi Alonso said, but the Ukrainian will not be rushed back after winning his appeal against a doping ban.

Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer said on Friday he has a point to prove this season after missing out on England's World Cup squad, while hailing new manager Xabi Alonso as a "breath of fresh air".

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso got his reign off to a winning start on Tuesday in a dramatic 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers, with Brazilian striker Joao Pedro scoring a late nine-minute hat-trick to ensure victory.

The Blues lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City on Saturday and lie ninth in the Premier League with two games of the campaign to go.

Xabi Alonso is set to be named as Chelsea's new manager, just four months after being sacked by Real Madrid, according to various media reports on Saturday.

The 58-year-old said Real did not seem to have a plan post-Alonso and may struggle to find the right replacement.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Wednesday Xabi Alonso has a great future in football despite Real Madrid replacing him at the helm this week.

Xabi Alonso departed Real Madrid saying he was “grateful to the club, players and fans”, but the outcome appeared inevitable, waiting for it to be triggered by another fall.