Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea: Barclays Premier League as it happened

Full time: Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea

Willian has the chance to seal it after Hazard fed him in down the inside right channel but he skews his effort horribly wide.

Fabregas breaches the Arsenal backline, threading a ball through for Remy but the Frenchman has drifted just offside. Five minutes of time added on.

Another half chance for Arsenal as Bellerin's cross is scuffed into the six yard area by Oxlade-Chamberlain where Flamini is again waiting. He can't get the right contact either though and Courtois makes a rather comfortable save in the end.

Ozil clips the free kick in and Courtois drops it under pressure from Koscielny. It gets away from the goalkeeper but a swarm of Blue shirts are on the loose ball and hack clear.

Arsenal win a free kick out on the right as Hazard almost leaps over Ozil trying to claim a high ball.

Arsenal have enjoyed a decent spell of possession over the last few minutes but there are still lacking that cutting edge. 10 minutes remain.

And here's another change for Chelsea with Eden Hazard on to replace Oscar.

Arsene Wenger has made his last change, bringing on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the disappointing Walcott.

Mikel is shown a yellow card after sticking an arm out after miscontrolling a pass, catching Alexis right in the mush.

Oscar breaks the offside trap down the left flank and drags a pass back for Fabregas on the edge of the box. The Spaniard shifts the ball onto his right foot and has a shot from 25 yards out, but it's an easy save for Cech.

Chelsea might have a problem here, Diego Costa has picked up a knock. Loic Remy looked like he was about to come on anywya however and that hastens his arrival. Just over 20 minuted remaining.

That free kick causes havoc as Courtois fails to deal with it, giving Arsenal a couple of chances on goal but on each occasion a Chelsea body is across to block.

Alexis has immediately brought some urgency into his side, driving at Chelsea at every opportunity. Aaron Ramsey does likewise and wins a free kick out on the left.

Nemanja Matic picks up a booking after blocking Sanchez of the ball while he was running at full pelt. Pretty much identical to the incident where Fabregas was felled in the box moments ago.

Here he is; Alexis Sanchez has entered the fray, replacing Campbell.

Erm, how wasn't that a penalty?! Fabregas easily jinks past Flamini and drives into the box before he is clearly shouldered off the ball by Koscielny. No attempt to play the ball there.

Arsenal patiently stroke the ball around as they look to prise Chelsea open before Ramsey takes control, lofting a ball over for Walcott to run onto. Chelsea once again hold their line perfectly however and the offside flag goes up.

Chelsea remain firmly in control of this contest. Not for the first time today, Walcott's first touch lets him down as he tries to control a pass down the right.

Alexis Sanchez is continuing his warm up in the early stages of this half, surely it won't be long before we see him enter the fray.

And we are back underway for the second half.

Half time: Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea

The Gunners are a man and a goal down as we reach the half-way point.

What a chance for Flamini! Ramsey lifts a wonderful lofted pass into the box where again Flamini has popped up in loads of room. It's the wrong man in the right place again, however, as he gets his effort all wrong, scooping it well over the bar.

Just one minute of injury time added on.

Off the line! Ivanovic meets the header but Monreal makes the decisive block. Arsenal surge forward on the counter attack but Oscar makes an excellent sliding challenge to break up the move.

Costa shows brilliant acceleration to burst past Monreal just inside the box and fire on goal, but Cech makes a smart save to force the corner.

Ramsey shows wondeful feet on the edge of the box to shimmy past his marker before threading a pass through for Walcott but the forward's first touch let's down. The offside flag had correctly gone up, anyway.

Aaron Ramsey dirves down the inside right channel, winning a corner for his side. They take it short and work a neat move as Walcott plays a fine one-two with the Welshman but is ruled offside.

Fabregas is having a ball so far this afternoon. He drives forward unchallenged through the heart of his former club, skipping past one challenge as he veers into the box but his low drive across goal is well blocked by Gabriel.

Fabregas pings another fine pass over for Costa, who is having plenty of joy making that run off the shoulder of the last man so far today. This time however the Spain international uses his arm to try and control it and the ref awards the free kick.

Chelsea have the lead! Minutes after going down to 10 men Arsenal fall asleep at the back as Ivanovic drills a fine cross in from the left to find Costa's darting run. Gabriel, just on the pitch, was a little slow to react, but it's an easy finish for the striker.

Goal! Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea (Diego Costa, 23)

And here is the change, Olivier Giroud trudges off looking particularly devastated by that decision. Gabriel comes in for him.

Arsenal comfortably deal with the resulting free kick but Arsene Wenger is looking to make changes straight away with Gabriel about to come on.

Mertesacker is gone! A brilliant pass from Willian frees Costa who cuts across the path of the big German and is tripped as he is bearing down on goal. Mertesacker was the last man and it didn't look like Koscielny was ever going to get across in time, it looks to be a fair decision from Mark Clatternburg.

RED CARD - Per Mertesacker

Another half chance for Chelsea as Azpilicueta's cross meets Willian whose first time effort is well off target, but clatters off Mertesacker back into his path. He reacts quickly to get another shot off, but this one is straight at Cech who makes the save.

Chelsea come forward through Fabregas again who shifts the ball wide to Willian. The Brazilian looks to pick out Costa who has made a darting run to the near post but the corss is a poor one that fails to beat the first man.

The free kick from Ozil is a pretty terrible one and Chelsea can clear.

Campbell wins a free kick and Oscar's name goes in the book after a wild challenge. Ozil wil, swing the free kick in from the right,

A promising move involving Giroud and Campbell almost frees Flamini inside the six yard box but his first touch lets him down and the ball gets away from him. Not the guy you want in that situation.

Arsenal look a bit nervous at the back in these early stages with Cesc Fabregas orchastrating a move down the right before pulling a pass across goal. He can't find a teammate however and Mertesacker can clear.

It's been a bright opening few minuted to this contest with Oscar testing Cech with a low drive towards the near post, forcing the save. Mathieu Flamini avoids an early booking after a late challenge on Ivanovic.

And we are underway at the Emirates.

Oscar coming for Pedro is the only change to the Chelsea side that drew 3-3 with Everton last week.

So both Arsene Wenger and Guus Hiddink have avoided taking risks with their two best players from last season. Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez start on the bench after spells on the sidelines although Mesut Ozil is back in the Gunners starting XI after missing last week's draw with Stoke City.

BREAKING: Alexis Sanchez is only fit enough for the bench but Mesut Ozil returns to the starting XI.

BREAKING: Diego Costa is fit enough to start for Chelsea this afternoon but Eden Hazard settles for a spot on the bench.

Chelsea team to face Arsenal: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic; Willian, Fabregas, Oscar; Diego Costa

Subs: Begovic, Cahill, Baba Rahman, Loftus-Cheek, Traore, Hazard, Remy

While Diego Costa has missed training this week, Guus Hiddink believes the Spain international will be fit enough to start this afternoon.

[He has not trained] much but he was in yesterday and in today and he will be available as well.

"In the latest games he was of big worth to us. The focus is on where he's good at. We can make no guarantees because we are not dealing with machines. When he's focusing on things in the box then he's of great value."

Similarlyto Arsene Wenger's Alexis Sanchez dilemma, Guus Hiddink is unsure whether Eden Hazard is ready having not featured since the beginning of the month.

He was well-prepared by the physios until two days ago when he started participating in training. Today and yesterday he was in full commitment with first team training so he is available.

"I am not sure whether he can play a full 90 minutes yet so we have to consider in the upcoming hours whether he will start or come on. We will decide on game day. In the last two days he was in full training. He's available. We have to be careful as he's fallen into injuries recently. I'm not sure whether he can play a full 90 minutes.

While Alexis Sanchez is fit once again, Arsene Wenger indicated during the week he was unsure whether he would bring the Chile international straight back into his XI.

The good news is that Ozil will certainly be available and Sanchez... the next two days will be decisive but this time he will might make it for selection. "The doubt [over Sanchez] is that he has been out for a long time and you have to rate the risk of a setback. If you try to go too early you might. After he is clear on all the tests is one thing, after that he has training and after that the intensity of the game.

"You can never repeat in the training session the intensity of the game but you have to make sure the risk after a certain period of time is minimal. I am cautious with him because we cannot afford a setback because that would mean a very long period out, we do not want to take risk. What Sanchez has shown in training this week was very positive.

TEAM NEWS - Arsenal

Both Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are fit again for this afternoon's clash at the Emirates. Ozil missed the goalless draw with Stoke City due to a foot problem while Sanchez has not played since November with a hamstring injury.

While Sanchez is back in training, Arsene Wenger was unsure whether the Chile international would be risked given the length of his absence.

Midfielders Francis Coquelin and Tomas Rosicky and forward Danny Welbeck are also still absent but are all closing in on their returns.

TEAM NEWS - Chelsea

Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are available although Guus Hiddink has concerns over whether the Belgium international will be able to play the full 90 minutes.
Hazard has been out of action since he picked up a knock during the 3-0 win at Selhurst Park on 3 January, missing the FA Cup victory over Scunthorpe United and as well the Premier League homes draws with West Bromwich Albion and Everton.

Costa meanwhile limped off during the 3-3 draw with Everton last week with a shin injury. Despite the initial concern, Costa escaped with minor bruising and will be available for selection.