After three home games in a row, the Blues hit the road once more, albeit one only eight miles long. The first big 'capital classic' of the year is upon us. Both sides enjoyed confidence-boosting wins against lower league opposition in midweek, with visitors Chelsea having one day more to rest and prepare for the early kick-off.

As Wenger conceded, the likes of Eden Hazard, whom he admires, are ushering in a new era at the Bridge. Now that the Frenchman has had laser treatment on his eyesight he might even concede the Belgian playmaker and Brazilian Oscar are being denied the type of penalties others seem to be awarded.

Fernando Torres is in fine form - four goals in seven games in all competitions this season, last in mid-week fixture against Wolves - and has scored twice in three league starts for Liverpool against the Gunners. The Spain striker will aim to score first goal to Arsenal as a Blue and exploit his key advantage over Mertesacker. On the highest profile occasion Torres ran Mertesacker and Metzelder of Germany ragged at Euro 2008, and beat the defence for pace to score the only goal of the final.

The Blues' transition under Roberto Di Matteo is still in its formative stage but the midweek League Cup showed the exhilarating potential of Chelsea's younger talent. Since 2004/05, the only Blues starting line-up with a lower average age than the 24.27 against Championship Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday was that which beat Zilina 2-1 in the 2010/11 group stage of the Champions League. The average age of players who kicked off in that match was 23.91.

The evolution from power to prowess on the ball was evident in the 6-0 thrashing of a weak Wolves, but the trick is to turn entertaining football into triumphant football. For seven years Arsenal have been masters of dazzle with accounts to gaze at but no silverware to polish. A load of goals past League One Coventry City is not yet enough to convince everyone they have kicked their habit.

There are signs they have tightened up the traditionally vulnerable defence, though, and Chelsea will hope to test that severely this weekend.

New boys Lucas Piazon and Cesar Azpilicueta slickly impressed on their debuts on Tuesday. Oriol Romeu bagged his first Chelsea goal with a well-executed penalty, won by Victor Moses, making his first start and running powerfully, then scoring his first too.

Fernando Torres, Drogba's successor as top dog, netted fifth of six from a Juan Mata delivery, the Spanish midfielder in imperious form. Marko Marin, Mata's replacement from the bench had a hand in the sixth scored by Moses.

The Blues' rearguard is also weighing in with unexpected regularity at the other end of the field. Eight of the total 20 goals scored in all competitions have come from defenders. Members of the back four hit the first two goals in the midweek rout of Wolves. They were followed by two midfielders, then two forwards.

This was the first time Chelsea have ever won 6-0 with six different scorers, and never before have three different non-British players of the same nationality scored in one game for the Blues: the Spaniards Mata, Romeu and Torres now share that honour.

While on defenders, Ryan Bertrand's sweetly executed finish past Dorus De Vries meant Blues left-backs had scored in successive matches for the first time since Graeme Le Saux and Danny Granville netted against Crystal Palace in the league (2-0) and Cup-Winners' Cup opponents Slovan Bratislava (3-0) respectively in September 1997. By coincidence the Blues then faced Arsenal straight afterwards.

Ahead of the same fixture Chelsea will fans need no reminding of the damage those rare full-back goals, especially late ones, can inflict: we think of Lee Dixon in 1995, Nigel Winterburn in 1997, or Silvinho three years later.

But the Blues boast the ultimate example: Highbury Stadium, 6 April 2004, Champions League second leg, Wayne Bridge, pandemonium. (The hosts may just be reminded on Saturday that more recently we have become London's first European champions in that competition.)


- Match preview by chelseafc.com