Chelsea v Arsenal – Preview, Predictions, and Best Bets

Chelsea face Arsenal The Blues currently sit above the Gunners on goal difference. Arsenal have lost three of their last six matches and need a response at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea Form

Chelsea are playing well, but their last seven matches have yielded only three wins, two of which came in the Europa Conference League. A 1-1 home draw against Nottingham Forest was followed by a 2-1 loss at Liverpool, despite having 52% possession. The Blues responded with a 4-1 win away at Panathinaikos.

In the league, Chelsea beat Newcastle 2-1 at home with 17 shots but then lost 2-0 to the same opponents in the Carabao Cup. Chelsea could only manage a 1-1 draw against struggling Manchester United last week before thrashing minnows Noah 8-0 in Europe on Thursday.

Chelsea Team News

Enzo Maresca rotates heavily between European and Premier League games and is expected to make 11 changes from the win over Noah. Reece James should be fit to start on one flank, with Malo Gusto or Marc Cucurella likely on the opposite side.

In midfield, Romeo Lavia may start again ahead of Enzo Fernandez. Cole Palmer is a doubt after taking a knock to the knee, but he should be fit to play; if not, Joao Felix could get a rare league start.

Chelsea Motivation

Chelsea are fresh and motivated for this match. A win would boost their hopes of finishing in the top four and also dent Arsenal’s title ambitions. Maresca’s side will likely try to play on the front foot but can also sit back and rely on fast transitions if needed.

Arsenal Form

Arsenal have endured some damaging results recently. They were unbeaten in 10 games, which included a 2-2 draw at Manchester City with ten men and a 2-0 win over PSG in the Champions League. However, things have gone pear-shaped with three losses in their last six fixtures, starting with a 2-0 loss at Bournemouth, where they also played with ten men.

A 1-0 win over Shakhtar was followed by a 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool, having led 2-0. After a 3-0 victory over Preston in the Carabao Cup, Arsenal have lost twice in the last week. A 1-0 defeat at Newcastle and another 1-0 loss at Inter Milan have exposed a team that already looks to be running on empty.

Arsenal Team News

Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu are both out with injuries in defense. Thomas Partey may need to fill in at right-back again. Key midfielder Martin Odegaard has returned but likely isn’t fit enough to start immediately.

Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino are all doubts but should be fit to make the starting XI. Raheem Sterling is unavailable as he cannot play against his parent club.

Arsenal Motivation

Arsenal need a win here, as even a draw could leave them falling behind in the title race at this early stage. They have tended to play defensively in recent big matches and may adopt the same approach here, focusing on grinding out three points.

Key Stats

Chelsea have won just 3 of their last 7 matches (2 in the Europa Conference League).

Chelsea have won 12 of their last 17 home matches.

Arsenal have won 15 of their last 22 matches.

Arsenal have lost 3 of their last 6 matches.

Arsenal’s Kai Havertz has scored 5 goals in his last 10 matches.

Verdict

This should be an entertaining match. Chelsea have a strong chance to capitalize on Arsenal’s recent struggles, but a draw seems the most likely outcome.