The London Derby Kicked Off

As October began, English football's biggest showdown took center stage once more.

After a week of relentless battles on two fronts, Arsenal remained unbeaten all season.

They had opened the Premier League with seven straight wins, conquered Anfield, crushed one powerhouse after another, and built a commanding lead at the top of the table.

In the UEFA Champions League, they had won all four matches, conceded just once, and secured their place as group leaders with games to spare. The road to defending their title lay wide open.

The Gunners now stood at the summit of the Premier League and all of Europe.

Morale was soaring. Every player was in blistering form, performing at the peak of his career.

Above all, Li Yufei kept scoring in both competitions. His streak showed no sign of ending.

With unstoppable finishing and an all-around game, he dominated the ranks of the world's forwards.

Just when everyone thought Arsenal's winning run could no longer be stopped, the Premier League's fiercest clash between city rivals arrived.

The Premier League's eighth round brought a blockbuster: a London Derby.

Arsenal welcomed their bitter city rivals, Chelsea, to the Emirates Stadium.

A London Derby had never been just another football match.

It carried a century of bad blood, a fierce divide between red and blue, and one of football's greatest rivalries.

Unlike the red-and-white clash of the North London Derby, Arsenal and Chelsea's red-and-blue battles were steeped in grit, hard challenges, conflict, and resentment.

The two London powerhouses shared a city but had been enemies for generations.

From their supporters and traditions to their playing styles and tactical duels, neither side gave an inch.

Every meeting brought punishing physical contests, a feverish atmosphere, and the will to fight to the bitter end.

Chelsea were a traditional Premier League