Arsenal vs Chelsea: Match Preview
Arsenal and Chelsea are all set for a Premier League London derby at the Emirates on Tuesday night, three days after their scheduled fixture. While Arsenal are looking to bounce back from their 1-4 defeat at the hands of Manchester City, Chelsea have not won in their last eight matches. The Gunners will be eager to prove their title credentials and remain at the top of the table. Meanwhile, the Blues will look to avoid a slice of unwanted Premier League era history and move further away from the relegation zone.
The atmosphere at the Emirates is expected to be incredible, with both teams having something to prove. Arsenal managed to guarantee their return to the Champions League after Brighton and Hove Albion’s loss to Nottingham Forest, but a win against Chelsea will be necessary to cement their title claims. Meanwhile, the Blues are out of the running for the top four spots and are in danger of being relegated to the Championship.
Arsenal faced their biggest test of the season yet in their 1-4 defeat to Manchester City last week. While Kevin De Bruyne’s brace and John Stones’ header contributed to City’s comprehensive win, Rob Holding provided some consolation for the Gunners with a well-taken goal. Arsenal will be without William Saliba, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Mohamed Elneny, who have season-ending injuries. However, they are expected to stick with a largely recognisable formula.
Chelsea, in contrast, are plagued by injuries to key players. Mason Mount and Reece James are out for the rest of the season, while Marc Cucurella is expected to miss a couple of weeks. Armando Broja, Marcus Bettinelli, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Kai Havertz will all need a once-over, although Havertz is expected to be passed fit for the derby. Chelsea’s attack has been misfiring, and they will look to Joao Felix to inject some much-needed life into their game.
Arsenal has a good historical record against Chelsea, having won 82 out of the 206 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Chelsea’s 66 victories. Arsenal have won four of their last five matches against Chelsea in the Premier League, while Chelsea won this fixture by a 2-0 margin last season.
Predicted lineups for the match are as follows: Arsenal could start with Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Xhaka, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Trossard, and Jesus. Chelsea could start with Kepa, Chalobah, Silva, Fofana, Chilwell, Fernandez, Kante, Gallagher, Felix, Havertz, and Sterling.
In conclusion, Arsenal vs Chelsea will be an exciting match, with both teams having something to prove. Arsenal has already secured their return to the Champions League after a five-year absence, but they will need to win this game to cement their title claims. Chelsea, meanwhile, are in danger of being relegated to the Championship and will look to avoid a slice of unwanted history at the Emirates.
