With Sunday's London derby at the Emirates on the horizon, Chelsea have turned to an unusual training method to counter Arsenal's deadly set-piece threat — rugby tackle shields.

Under new manager Xabi Alonso, players at Cobham were put through physical collision drills using large crash pads, with Valentin Barco and Pep Chavarria among those holding the shields while their team-mates drove into them.

Preparing for Arsenal's aerial machine

The exercise is a direct response to Arsenal's formidable set-piece record. The defending Premier League champions scored 22 goals from dead balls last season — the highest tally in the division — and regularly deploy tall, powerful runners to bully their way toward the goalkeeper.

Chelsea, however, boast one of the tallest squads in the league, level with Leeds United, and Alonso appears confident his side can match Arsenal physically in those moments.

A tale of two perfect starts

Both clubs arrive at this fixture with maximum points from their opening two Premier League matches. Arsenal, champions under Mikel Arteta, have been imperious so far: a 3-0 demolition of Coventry City followed by a 1-0 win at Aston Villa, with their backline yet to concede. They also lifted the Community Shield with victory over Manchester City.

Chelsea have been equally productive at the other end, recording 3-2 and 4-3 wins over Fulham and Brighton respectively, plus a Carabao Cup triumph, to sit joint-top scorers in the division with seven goals. The defensive picture is less rosy — five conceded — but the attacking intent under Alonso is clear.

Five years without a win over the Gunners

The fixture carries extra weight for Chelsea, who have not beaten Arsenal since 22 August 2021, when Romelu Lukaku and Reece James struck in a 2-0 victory at the Emirates under Thomas Tuchel. That five-year winless run spans all competitions and includes a 5-0 humiliation in April 2024, plus defeats in both legs of the 2025-26 Carabao Cup semi-final and the Premier League meeting in March 2026.

Arsenal have gone unbeaten in their last nine Premier League encounters with Chelsea — six wins and three draws — making Sunday's clash an opportunity for the Blues to finally end a drought that ranks among their longest against this rival in the modern era.