Fact Check: Have Chelsea made Statement Claiming Club Are ‘Tired' Of Playing Arsenal? Truth behind Viral Post

A graphic claiming that Chelsea have officially announced they are "tired of playing Arsenal" has been circulating across social media.

The post, which has been circulating across social media, uses Chelsea's branding and is presented as an "Official Statement", which gained traction after their defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League.

The graphic claims Chelsea have "tried everything" against Arsenal, including spending millions in transfers and changing managers, before asking the Premier League to stop scheduling the fixture. It also references Kai Havertz scoring against Chelsea and ends with a supposed statement from Stamford Bridge dated September 7, 2026.

Fact Check: Have Chelsea made the Statement?

There is no official Chelsea communication containing these remarks. Chelsea's own published material around the September 6 London derby contains statistical information about the fixture but makes no reference to any such statement.

The timing also makes the post particularly easy to mistake for a genuine reaction. Arsenal had just beaten Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates, coming from behind after Morgan Rogers' early goal through strikes from Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard. The victory extended Arsenal's unbeaten run against Chelsea to 12 matches in all competitions.

Arsenal's domination against Chelsea

While the viral statement is fake, the sentiment behind the joke has been fuelled by a very real period of Arsenal dominance. Chelsea's last victory over Arsenal came in August 2021. Since then, Arsenal have remained unbeaten against their London rivals, with the run now stretching across five years. Chelsea's own statistics list Arsenal as unbeaten in 11 meetings before the latest game, while the September 6 victory took that sequence to 12.

The numbers underline the shift in the rivalry. Arsenal have recorded major wins such as the 5-0 victory in April 2024, while also winning the 2025-26 League Cup semi-final tie against Chelsea. The Gunners' latest 2-1 victory further strengthened their hold over one of their biggest London rivals.

And Arsenal's dominance has extended beyond Chelsea. The Gunners were crowned Premier League champions in 2025-26, winning the title with 85 points - their first league crown in 22 years. They also lost just once in their last 29 Premier League London derbies before the new campaign.