Alonso had fallen out with Frank Lampard (Getty Images)
Chelsea will be aiming to register back-to-back league wins when they face arch-rivals Arsenal on the road on Boxing Day.
The Blues recently lost their way with successive defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton, but they managed to end the streak with a 3-0 triumph over West Ham United on Monday.
With the victory, they have jumped to fifth on the table with 25 points, just one adrift of fourth-placed Everton. Elsewhere, they are six points behind league leaders Liverpool.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are going through their worst ever start to a Premier League season and they are down in the 15th position with just 14 points on the board.
Mikel Arteta’s side are winless in the past seven league matches where they have picked up just two points and as our friends at the Chelsea Blog have highlighted, the Blues have the chance to pile more misery by beating them in a one-sided derby at the Emirates Stadium.
Frank Lampard’s side registered a 2-1 comeback win over Arsenal at the Emirates last year. It was their first victory against the Gunners away from home since January 2016.
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored three goals in his previous two meetings against Chelsea and that includes a match-winning brace in the 2019/2020 FA Cup final.
The last league encounter between the sides finished 2-2 at Stamford Bridge. The Gunners, who were down to 10 men, came twice from behind to share the spoils.
Willian will be facing his former employers Chelsea for the first time since his summer exit. The Brazilian has failed to score in his 19 derby appearances involving the clubs, but has three assists to his name.
Chelsea:
First-choice full-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell are doubtful for the derby as they are nursing minor knee problems. Elsewhere, Lampard has already ruled out Hakim Ziyech as he has yet to recover from his hamstring concern.
Arsenal:
The Gunners are definitely without Thomas Partey, who is nursing a thigh injury. Elsewhere, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is doubtful with a calf issue while Gabriel Martinelli may also be assessed after a kick on his shin. Granit Xhaka is, however, back after serving a three-game domestic ban.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Edouard Mendy; Cesar Azpilicueta, Kurt Zouma, Thiago Silva, Emerson Palmieri; N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Jorginho; Timo Werner, Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic
Arsenal (3-4-3): Bernd Leno; Rob Holding, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka; Nicolas Pepe, Alexandre Lacazette, Willian
The Gunners have struggled to find the back of the net and they have netted just 12 goals from 14 games. The Blues, on the other hand, have had no such concerns and they are the league’s second-highest scorers with 29 goals.
With just three goals in the previous seven league games, the Gunners have lacked the cutting edge in the final third and they could be up for another tough encounter with Aubameyang also facing a race to get fit for the derby.
Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea
Stats from Transfermarkt.com and 11v11.com
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