Arsenal vs Chelsea: SunSport picks their combined XI, but are Fabregas, Costa, Sanchez and Giroud included?

ARSENAL will be hoping to break their Chelsea curse on Saturday when the Blues pay a visit to the Emirates.

The Gunners are yet to win in nine Premier League meetings against their fierce London rivals, although Arsene Wenger can take some comfort in a 1-0 Community Shield triumph last summer.

Arsenal’s last league win over Chelsea came in a 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge way back in October 2011, and Gooners are hoping they can avenge last season’s back-to-back defeats despite the absence of Aaron Ramsey.

Meanwhile, Antonio Conte faces a tough decision following Cesc Fabregas’ majestic performance in the mid-week EFL Cup win against Leicester, although skipper John Terry has failed to overcome an ankle injury – making David Luiz a cert for a starting spot.

Here, SunSport reveals the best combined Arsenal-Chelsea XI only featuring players eligible for the crunch clash.

GK: Petr Cech

CECH remains one of the world’s most consistent performers despite being forced out of Chelsea by Thibaut Courtois.

His Belgian counterpart continues to look sloppy after a dreadful campaign last season, and has done himself no favours by admitting a return to Spain is on the cards.

RB: Hector Bellerin

ARGUABLY the best right-back in the league, Bellerin continues to astound with his sheer pace and ferocity a key component of Arsenal’s play.

There’s a reason Barcelona want to re-sign him, and nobody can argue the youngster runs rings around Branislav Ivanovic.

CB: Gary Cahill

JOHN TERRY should get this slot, but the captain’s absence makes Cahill Chelsea’s senior man at the back.

David Luiz has only just returned to Stamford Bridge, and while the Brazilian could eventually oust Cahill from Conte’s line-up, the ex-Bolton man gets the nod for now.

CB: Laurent Koscielny

AFTER a steady start to his Gunners career, Koscielny has blossomed into a key man for his club and the French national team.

One of the first names on the team sheet, Koscielny easily beats the inconsistent Gabriel Paulista and yet-to-impress new signing Shkodran Mustafi to the second centre-back slot.

LB: Cesar Azpilicueta

THE debate rages on over whether Azpilicueta should be reverted back to the right, but he’s playing on the opposite flank for so long there almost seems no point of changing things now.

The Spaniard might be lacking in attacking flair, but his tactical and positional awareness, not to mention a solid tackle, makes him a safer pair of hands than compatriot Nacho Monreal.

CM: Cesc Fabregas

ONE of the more difficult choices to make, it was between Fabregas and Santi Cazorla for the deep playmaker role in the XI.

There’s no doubting Cazorla is a fantastic player, but Fabregas on his day – and with a point to prove – is absolutely magical.

CM: N'Golo Kante

KANTE'S £30m price-tag is starting to look like a real bargain after making Chelsea’s defensive midfield position his own.

The aggressive interceptor is the perfect man for breaking up opposition attacks, and could arguably walk into any team in the country.

RW: Alexis Sanchez

WILLIAN is a terrific footballer, but Sanchez’s regular goals and assists make him a shoe-in on the right.

The Chilean can also match Willian’s work-rate out on the wings, but whether he remains at the Emirates for much longer remains to be seen.

CAM: Mesut Ozil

ONE of the world’s best No 10s, Ozil’s vision is second to none.

Oscar can get around the pitch better, but Ozil can turn a game on its head with one flick of his foot.

LW: Eden Hazard

THE Belgian superstar is starting to look like himself again after leaving Chelsea fans open-mouthed with his terrible performances last season.

In full flow, Hazard can match the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar with his dribbling and ball-control, and can conjure a goal out of almost any situation.

ST: Diego Costa

OLIVIER GIROUD could be in line for a return on Saturday, but either way the spot goes straight to Costa.

The Spaniard is a man reborn as he leads the league’s goal-scoring charts, and finally looks at home under the equally-passionate Conte.

Watch ALL the goals from the Premier League before anyone else for FREE plus all the latest news, fixtures and results and live match commentary all on the go with the new Sun Football App – click here to download