This weekend’s Premier League slate includes a significant London rivalry as Chelsea faces Mikel Arteta’s excellent Arsenal team in a crucial match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Arsenal are currently leading the Premier League standings and has performed better than expected thus far this year. The Gunners destroyed Nottingham Forest by a score of 5-0 in their last league fixture, and they’ll try to repeat that performance this weekend.
Chelsea, on the other hand, are in sixth place in the league table at the moment and have been inconsistent this season. The Blues slumped to a shock 4-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion last week and will need to bounce back in this fixture.
Arsenal have steadily improved their record at Stamford Bridge over recent meetings and have proven they can beat the League’s biggest teams already this season.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang presence in this fixture will be difficult to ignore. Forced out of Arsenal by Arteta, the former Gunners captain will likely lead the line for the home side, squaring off against his first time since his bitter departure that he had seen his ex-employers.
Chelsea vs Arsenal team news
Ben Chilwell, who has a hamstring issue, has now been added to Chelsea’s extensive injury list and could now be out for three months. Additionally missing are Wesley Fofana, Reece James, and N’Golo Kante.
Aubameyang will likely lead the front-line, with Edouard Mendy playing in goal.
Aubameyang will likely lead the front-line, with Edouard Mendy playing in goal.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is sidelined, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is back to full strength for Arsenal. However, Kieran Tierney might play a part so Arteta won’t have to push Zinchenko back.
Aside from that, Arteta’s first-choice starting XI is essentially self-evident. With Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka lining up behind them and in front of a solid defense, the front three of Saka, Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli are expected to stay in place.
Chelsea vs Arsenal Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Arsenal have a good record against Chelsea and have won 81 out of the 205 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Chelsea’s 66 victories.
- Chelsea have lost three of their last four matches against Arsenal in the Premier League – more defeats than they had suffered in the 17 games preceding this run.
- Arsenal have won their last two matches against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – as many Premier League away victories as they had secured in the 16 such games preceding this run.
- Arsenal’s last six Premier League goals against Chelsea have been scored by English players, with Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah scoring two goals each.
- Arsenal have won their last four Premier League London derbies – their best run in these matches since 2013.
- Chelsea’s defeat against Brighton represented the first time the Blues have lost consecutive games in the Premier League since 2020.
Chelsea vs Arsenal Predicted Lineups
Chelsea: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Silva, Cucurella; Jorginho, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek; Sterling, Aubameyang, Mount.
Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
PREDICTIONS
Arsenal appear to have broken through the hoodoo to have hung over them at Stamford Bridge of late and have already taken big scalps this season. With Chelsea floundering against Brighton, an away win seems likely.
Arsenal to win 2-0.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Chelsea wins: 66
Draws: 58
Arsenal wins: 81