Venue: Chelsea (11) vs Arsenal (2) Stamford Bridge, 5.30 pm
Recent Form
Chelsea: LDLWW
Arsenal: WWDWW
Head To Head Stats
- Arsenal have won six of their past seven matches against Chelsea in all competitions, as many victories as in the previous 25 meetings.
- The visitors are vying to win four consecutive league games versus Chelsea for the first time, in what will be the 173rd league fixture between the sides (all in the top flight).
- The Gunners’ three-match winning streak has come against Mauricio Pochettino’s three predecessors as head coach: Frank Lampard, Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel.
Match Preview
The Premier League fans are in for a weekend of thrilling clashes, starting with the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton in the early kick-off.
Following that, the spotlight shifts to Stamford Bridge, where London giants Chelsea play host to Arsenal. After their significant victory in Matchday 8, where Arsenal secured a 1-0 win over Manchester City with Gabriel Martinelli’s late strike, deflecting off Nathan Aké, the Gunners aim to uphold their unbeaten streak in the 2023-24 season.
Arsenal, boasting six wins and two draws this season, hasn’t begun a Premier League campaign with a longer unbeaten run since the 2007-08 season, when they went unbeaten for 15 matches. With their fellow front-runners, Tottenham, not playing until Monday, a win could propel Arsenal to the top of the table.
Arsenal’s recent triumph over City has instilled belief in the red side of North London that they can surpass their previous season’s performance. Notably, their defense shone, restricting the reigning champions to just four shots, with none coming from Erling Haaland. The defensive duo of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães kept the Norwegian sensation at bay. Arteta is hopeful to have Saliba back after a toe injury forced him to withdraw from the France squad.
Notably, Arsenal’s impressive work extends beyond their defenders. Captain Martin Ødegaard, known for unlocking opposition defenses, has applied more pressures than any other Premier League player this season (253). He is also the only player to record 100 or more pressures both in the middle (111) and attacking (112) thirds of the pitch.
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In midfield, Ødegaard partners with Declan Rice, but Arteta faces some selection dilemmas further forward. The return of Bukayo Saka, who missed England’s recent matches, is anticipated, though Leandro Trossard is uncertain due to a thigh injury. A potential return for Saka could see Gabriel Jesus taking a central role, with Eddie Nketiah possibly making way.
While Arteta opted for the added security of Jorginho against City, another former Chelsea player, Kai Havertz, could feature for Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Havertz might make his 100th Premier League appearance, and history suggests a good omen for returning former Blues. Twenty-seven different players who have previously represented Chelsea in the Premier League have gone on to score against them, more than any other club.
As Chelsea might welcome back Havertz, Arsenal faces the formidable Mauricio Pochettino, a former Tottenham manager. Pochettino has never lost a home Premier League match against Arsenal, boasting three wins and three draws during his tenures with Southampton and Spurs.
During his time at Tottenham, Pochettino faced Arsenal in 11 North London derbies, securing three victories, six draws, and enduring two defeats while witnessing his side score and concede a total of 15 goals in those encounters.
Things are looking up for Pochettino as Chelsea entered the break with back-to-back wins, including a 4-1 victory at Burnley on Matchday 8. Chelsea aims for three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since October, albeit they have lost their last two matches on home turf.
Pochettino’s challenges continue due to an extensive injury list this season, and the international break hasn’t been kind. Captain Reece James, initially set to return after a hamstring injury, suffered a fitness setback. Right-back Malo Gusto, coming off a three-match ban, might step in after his red card against Aston Villa.
While Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, and Axel Disasi are doubtful, there’s positive news regarding Mykhailo Mudryk, who scored for Ukraine after recovering from a knock. Chelsea continues to contend with long-term injuries to Ben Chilwell, Roméo Lavia, and Christopher Nkunku.
Prediction
According to the Opta Supercomputer, Arsenal gets a narrow win