The Gunners have gone off the boil in recent weeks, with a run of one league win in five culminating in last weekend's 3-0 capitulation at Manchester City.

The shadow of William Gallas' recent outburst against the squad still looms despite a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Dynamo Kiev in Europe on Tuesday, and Fabregas is aware three points against the leaders on Sunday will help to quell any remaining unrest in the ranks.

"Our target is to go there and win," said Fabregas, who replaced Gallas as skipper earlier this week. "We need to get some points back.

"Arsenal never go for a draw and a club like Chelsea will be the same as us."

He added on www.arsenal.com: "Every time I have played against them they have gone forward and tried to gain victory. We will expect it will be the same on Sunday."

Manchester City will be hoping the upturn in form shown against Arsenal last weekend continues when they host city rivals United at Eastlands on Sunday.

Mark Hughes' men halted a four-match winless streak with last Saturday's convincing victory but remain well off the pace of the top four down in 11th place.

While Hughes is sweating on the fitness of star forward Robinho, who has a sprain and did not travel to Germany for Thursday's UEFA Cup tie against Schalke, his opposite number Sir Alex Ferguson could be set to welcome back Dimitar Berbatov from a hamstring injury in time for the match.

Ferguson will be determined to get a response from his team after they failed to capitalise on goalless draws for both Liverpool and Chelsea last weekend by drawing a blank against Aston Villa to stay eight points off the summit.

Second-placed Liverpool, who like United and Arsenal this week booked their place in the latter stages of the Champions League, must wait until Monday night to face West Ham at Anfield.

Sunday's remaining games see Tony Adams' Portsmouth welcome Blackburn to Fratton Park while upwardly mobile Tottenham will aim to put further daylight between themselves and the relegation zone when they host Everton.

Saturday's action sees fourth-placed Aston Villa host a Fulham team on a three-match unbeaten run, and Middlesbrough welcome Newcastle to the Riverside Stadium for a north-east derby.

Stoke entertain a Hull side seeking their first win in six, Bolton are the visitors to Sunderland's Stadium of Light and Wigan meet rock-bottom West Brom at the JJB Stadium.