Arsenal will seek a stern response to doubts about their title credentials with a performance against Chelsea at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta might have been relieved with the 2-0 scoreline at Molineux on Saturday, but his team had to dig deep to get the result. A Leandro Trossard strike in the first half always carried the risk of being equalised, but the Gunners stood form to a mild challenge posed by Wolves, although Martin Odegaard’s late strike helped them breathe easy. Arsenal next face Chelsea.
Arsenal returned to winning ways at Molineux after three games without one in all competitions. That run included an elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich, which has forced Arteta to focus solely on winning the Premier League.
The Gunners now host Chelsea in a pivotal London Derby, the first of the two remaining fixtures with capital clubs, with a visit to Tottenham awaiting them at the weekend. Arsenal are currently on top of the table on goal difference, with Liverpool and Manchester City closely behind.
On the other hand, Chelsea continued to take big strides towards finishing in the top six, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side currently three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United. The Blues put six goals past Everton in their last Premier League game but have since crashed out of the FA Cup with a late Bernardo Silva goal giving Manchester City a place in the final.
Pochettino had come under tremendous pressure at various stages of the season but has stitched together an eight-game, unbeaten run in the Premier League, including many draws. The big advantage for Chelsea in the top-six race is that they have a game in hand over their main rivals, Manchester United and Newcastle United.
A win over Arsenal will have major implications for Chelsea and their season, alongside the bragging rights to the London Derby. They could derail the Gunners’ season and make their own more acceptable, as they could march towards a place in the Europa League next season.
Team News & Tactics
Arsenal
Jurrien Timber remains the only potential absentee for Arsenal, as the North Londoners came through unscathed after a tough trip to Molineux. Mikel Arteta might tweak his setup to rest some of his much-used stars, but he is unlikely to rest anyone extremely important for this clash.
There are still doubts over Takehiro Tomiyasu, who reportedly suffered a knock against Bayern Munich. However, in terms of those rotations, Arteta may not make any exceptions as things stand and the quality of fixtures in hand, meaning he might even go with a similar lineup played on Saturday.
Hence, Jakub Kiwior might continue to be deployed at left-back, with Arteta likely to keep Oleksandr Zinchenko and Tomiyasu on the bench if the duo is fit. Similarly, Gabriel Jesus might again find himself on the bench, with Gabriel Martinelli likely to get the nod to start on the left-hand side.
The only change might be the involvement of former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, who could feature at the base, which allows Declan Rice to venture forward on the left-hand side. Martin Odegaard will continue to lead the attacking setup in a rather free role, as Bukayo Saka, Martinelli, and Kai Havertz form the front three for the Gunners.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Chelsea
Chelsea have a long list of injured players, including their captain Reece James, alongside fellow full-backs Ben Chilwell and Malo Gusto, who are out of this contest. Others include Levi Colwill and Christopher Nkunku, with the others on the list barely even featuring this season.
The big blow ahead of Tuesday is the potential absence of Premier League’s joint-top scorer Cole Palmer, with the attacker suffering from an illness. Mauricio Pochettino insisted as of today, the winger is ruled out but did promise to look again during an assessment period tomorrow before the game.
With the recovery time very less at this stage, it is safe to assume Palmer either sits out or features off the bench. Raheem Sterling could get the nod to replace the top scorer, with the former Manchester City star taking his place on the left wing, while Noni Madueke slots in on the right side.
Conor Gallagher could slot in the attacking midfield area, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez playing in the double-pivot behind. Axel Disasi might play right back, while Trevoh Chalobah and Thiago Silva will likely play in central defence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Disasi, Chalobah, Silva, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson
Key Stats
- Arsenal have won 11 of their last 13 matches in the Premier League.
- Arsenal have been winning at both half-time and full-time in seven of their last ten matches in the Premier League.
- Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four Premier League clashes against Chelsea, winning three of those.
- The FA Cup loss ended Chelsea’s eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
- Chelsea are only three points away from sixth-placed Newcastle United with a game in hand.
Player to Watch
Bukayo Saka
Saka came through another game without much of an impact in front of the goal despite having a big chance on his feet to score. It has been a worrying trend for Mikel Arteta, and he will seriously hope the winger comes good against Chelsea, a side he has traditionally fared well against.
The Englishman has a big point to make in this clash, as it can have ramifications for the rest of the campaign and Arsenal’s remaining big games against Tottenham and Manchester United. Hence, Arteta will hope for a good performance to bring back his main star’s confidence ahead of a crucial period.
Prediction
Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
Chelsea might have given Manchester City a run for their money, but there are many factors beyond just performances that matter when coming to the Emirates. The Blues are in a decent run in the Premier League but might take a big hit in their quest to finish in the top six. Another classic is a must for Chelsea to get past Arsenal.
Arsenal found their rhythm in the attacking and defensive thirds of the pitch, which would have pleased Arteta. The Spanard will aim for a clean sheet at home and give Chelsea a proper game of football, especially considering the Blues are not particularly used to playing three times a week. Hence, the chances of Arsenal taking all three points with a clean sheet are high in this one.