Chelsea struggled to overcome Burnley last weekend and ground to a halt against Hull midweek, and that's a background to this high-stakes game at Stamford Bridge that Arsenal will be glad to ponder.

Arsenal, though, come into the game after being handed a master class at home by Manchester United on Sunday - and let's not forget the drubbing they suffered at the hands of Chelsea in November. Neither team can claim to be dropping into this particular mixer on a rich vein of form.

But it's impossible to overstate the importance of this match to either team, and recent results for both sides will only serve to guarantee their squads turn out pumped for battle. For both Carlo Ancelotti and Arsene Wenger, victory will be an absolute requirement. If Chelsea lose, they'll be forfeiting their lead in the Premiership race. If Arsenal lose, their title race may be over altogether. And if they draw, both teams will succeed only in lifting Manchester United, who are unlikely to slip up at home to bottom-feeders Portsmouth the day before.

We Played It!

FIFA 10 apparently understands the stakes. Our simulation produced tension, plenty of flair, and quite a few near misses. But it's Chelsea, playing at home, who do the majority of the running.

The home team will dominate possession for large parts of the game, with Joe Cole shining in particular as he begins to find his feet playing regular football again. But possession means nothing if it's at the wrong end of the pitch.

For all their effort, Chelsea won't get a single shot properly on target, lacking any cutting edge up front. Arsenal, on the other hand, will play a perfect tactical game, soaking up Chelsea's attacks and hitting them on the counter. Andrey Arshavin will force Petr Cech into a fine diving save early on, while Alexandre Song will also go close twice in the second half. In contrast, Manuel Almunia, between the sticks at the other end, will have a fairly relaxing afternoon.

Arsenal's winner will come from Arshavin just before half time, with the diminutive Russian ending a slick passing move around Chelsea's area by clinically slotting past Cech from 12 yards.

The result will leave Arsenal trailing Chelsea by just three points in the title race and the Premiership crown well within reach.

FINAL SCORE: Chelsea 0 - 1 Arsenal

But what do YOU think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments thread below. And get a match going between Chelsea and Arsenal on FIFA 10 and post links here to the best goals you can score.