Follow Arsenal v Chelsea live from China

Oli Fisher

The Premier League champions will take on the FA Cup holders in Beijing as part of a Far East tour.

The two sides are becoming extra familiar with each other, as they last played each other in the FA Cup final in May and will also meet in the annual Community Shield fixture in August.

This meeting in the Bird’s Nest Stadium will be the first taste of action against a Premier League side for new boys Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal), and Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea).

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The recent head-to-head record between the teams is even over the last six meetings with three wins apiece.

The Gunners prevailed in the 2015 Community Shield and 2017 FA Cup, while Chelsea have been superior in the league.

One man who won’t feature in this warm-up game for Arsenal is forward Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean is being strongly linked with a transfer, but his omission from the tour squad is more likely to do with his exploits for his country at the Confederations Cup.

It is also unlikely that Diego Costa will turn out for the Blues as he is expected to leave the club after being told he doesn’t feature in manager Antonio Conte’s plans this season.