6 memorable Arsenal home victories over Chelsea
By Joel Masibo, September 6, 2026Chelsea’s visits to north London have produced plenty of memorable encounters over the years, with Arsenal enjoying several emphatic victories on home soil as the two sides renew rivalry on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the Emirates Stadium in a blockbuster Premier League fixture.
From dramatic comebacks to dominant displays, the Gunners have produced some outstanding performances against their London rivals. Here are six notable wins from the past four decades.
Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea — September 15, 1990
The opening 45 minutes at Highbury offered little indication of the drama that was to follow, with neither side able to break the deadlock.
That changed shortly after the interval when Anders Limpar reacted quickest to a knock-down from Paul Merson and put Arsenal in front. The Swedish midfielder was then brought down inside the area, allowing Lee Dixon to double the advantage from the penalty spot.
Limpar continued to torment Chelsea and soon turned provider again, creating the opportunity for Merson to force the ball home. He then supplied David Rocastle, who calmly finished Arsenal’s fourth.
Kevin Wilson managed to pull one back for Chelsea, but the afternoon belonged overwhelmingly to Limpar and the Gunners.
Arsenal 3-2 Chelsea — January 1, 2003
New Year’s Day at Highbury produced a tense finish as Arsenal edged Chelsea in a five-goal contest.
Chelsea took an early blow when Marcel Desailly put through his own net, giving Arsenal the lead. The match remained finely poised before Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Thierry Henry struck within a minute of one another to seemingly put the hosts in complete control.
Chelsea, however, refused to surrender. Mario Stanic reduced the deficit before former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit scored against his old club, leaving the visitors within touching distance.
Despite the late pressure, Arsenal protected their advantage and began the year with an important victory.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea — December 27, 2010
Arsenal climbed into second place in the Premier League after overcoming Chelsea in another impressive Emirates Stadium performance.
The breakthrough arrived just before half-time when Alex Song found the net, giving the Gunners a crucial advantage going into the interval.
Arsenal then struck twice in quick succession after the restart. Cesc Fabregas added a second before Theo Walcott extended the lead just two minutes later.
Branislav Ivanovic gave Chelsea renewed hope with a headed goal, but Arsenal remained in control and saw out the contest to secure three points.
Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea — September 24, 2016
Arsenal produced a devastating first-half display against Antonio Conte’s Chelsea, scoring three times before the break against the team that would eventually lift the league title that season.
Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring after just 11 minutes. The Chilean forward intercepted a pass from Gary Cahill before lifting the ball over goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The second goal came from a slick Arsenal move, with Mesut Ozil involved before Hector Bellerin sent the ball across the penalty area for Walcott to finish.
Ozil then added a spectacular third. After receiving a cross from Sanchez, the German midfielder struck the ball into the turf, sending it over Courtois and into the net.
Chelsea had no response as Arsenal completed a convincing 3-0 victory.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea — December 26, 2020
Arsenal entered this Boxing Day fixture desperate to halt a difficult run of form, and Mikel Arteta responded by trusting several young players.
Bukayo Saka, then 19, and 20-year-old Emile Smith Rowe were handed starting roles, while teenage forward Gabriel Martinelli also featured in an attack packed with youthful energy.
The decision paid off. Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal the lead from the penalty spot before Granit Xhaka doubled the advantage with a superb free-kick.
Saka then produced the moment of the match, delicately lifting the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 3-0. Chelsea eventually pulled one back, but Arsenal held on for a much-needed victory that provided renewed optimism for their campaign.
Arsenal 5-0 Chelsea — April 23, 2024
One of Arsenal’s most recent emphatic victories over Chelsea came during their push for the Premier League title in the 2023/24 campaign.
Leandro Trossard needed only three minutes to put Arsenal ahead and bring up the club’s 100th goal of the season.
Chelsea stayed in the contest until the second half, when Arsenal suddenly shifted through the gears. Ben White scored to make it 2-0, triggering a remarkable spell in which the Gunners added three more goals in just 18 minutes.
Kai Havertz, facing his former club, played a starring role. He powered through the middle before holding off Marc Cucurella to score Arsenal’s third, then completed his brace with a second fine finish.
White completed the rout when his attempted cross deceived goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic and found its way into the net, sealing a commanding 5-0 triumph.
Ahead of the Sunday’s, September 6, 2026 meeting between the two sides, these six victories underline Arsenal’s ability to produce memorable performances when Chelsea have arrived in north London, with the encounters featuring everything from individual brilliance and attacking football to dramatic late pressure.