Jose Mourinho's English champions Chelsea have a 10-year spell to break when they take on north-London rivals Arsenal [Images] in what promises to be another needle match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

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The two meet on only the second weekend of the new season, giving both a chance to lay down early markers.

There is little love lost between the nouveau riche west London [Images] side, who won their first title for 50 years last season, and Arsenal, who have dominated football in the capital for decades.

Although they stumbled against Chelsea in the Champions League in 2004 and in the season-opening Community Shield 10 days ago, Arsene Wenger's side have not lost to them in the league since September 1995.

They finished runners-up 12 points behind Chelsea last season but still earned two draws in pulsating league encounters between the two sides.

The previous season when roles were reversed, Arsenal earned highly charged 2-1 wins home and away against Chelsea, newly acquired by billionaire Russian Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea's 2-1 charity win in Cardiff on August 7, a game they largely controlled, highlighted the advantage Mourinho enjoys from Abramovich's spending power.

Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba [Images], a 24 million pound signing last season, scored twice. Spain full back Asier del Horno (eight million pounds) and England [Images] forward Shaun-Wright Phillips (21 million) made accomplished debuts.

On Sunday, Chelsea should also have the services of Ghana midfielder Michael Essien, due to sign from Olympique Lyon for some 26 million pounds.

ARSENAL REGROUP

Arsenal, on the other hand, weighed down by the cost of their new stadium opening next season, have made only one significant signing in Belarussian Alexander Hleb and are still regrouping after the departure of captain Patrick Vieira to Juventus.

"We lost a great player in Patrick but most of all a great buddy. He was like our older brother," striker Thierry Henry [Images] said of his France [Images] team mate this week.

Neither side covered themselves in glory in their opening league matches of the season last weekend, Arsenal labouring to a 2-0 win in the last 10 minutes at home to 10-man Newcastle and Chelsea needing an injury-time goal to beat promoted Wigan away.

The outspoken Mourinho tore into this highly paid players after the game, accusing them of complacency and "thinking slow, playing slow."

Motivation is unlikely to be a problem against Arsenal, however, and games between the London sides have traditionally been fast, physical affairs.

Rivalry extends to the managers. Wenger's relationship with Mourinho has been strained by last season's "tapping up" scandal over Arsenal's Ashley Cole.

Chelsea have hardly built bridges since. Chief executive Peter Kenyon declared: "The winner of the Premier League will come from a small bunch -- of one," adding to the Fulham Road side's reputation as arrogant upstarts.

Mourinho was accused of arrogance after he arrived last season dubbing himself a special manager. He earned a measure of early, if grudging, respect after winning his first home game in the Premier League 1-0 against mighty Manchester United [Images].

He needs to do the same against Arsenal if that respect and his title-repeating ambitions are not to be dented.

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