Preview: Chelsea v Arsenal | Pre-Match Report | News

We purpose to get again to successful methods once we deal with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (4.30pm UK), and maybe a London derby is simply the tonic Mikel Arteta’s staff want to move into the worldwide break on a excessive.

Now we have gained our final six capital clashes by an combination rating of 22-3, which features a 5-0 win over the Blues in our final encounter. Which will have been at Emirates Stadium, however our report on the Bridge can also be fairly formidable, having not misplaced there since 2018 and successful three of the final 4.

Each groups head into this recreation on the again of contrasting fortunes in Europe in midweek, however locked on 18 factors within the Premier League standings. Rising that tally by three will likely be an enormous enhance for both aspect as they purpose to move into the ultimate break of the yr respiratory down the league leaders’ necks.

Objective-hungry Blues on the rise

Chelsea splashed out one other £200 million this summer time as Enzo Maresca put his spin on a squad that completed seventh final season, and 5 league wins from 10 video games have taken them into the highest 4 locations they desperately crave forward of this weekend.

Solely Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool have taken three factors off the west Londoners, whereas Metropolis are the one staff to have scored greater than Chelsea’s 20 targets. Nevertheless, they’ve gained simply two of their 5 league matches at Stamford Bridge thus far and have but to maintain a clear sheet in that point, however did beat Newcastle United of their final Premier League encounter on dwelling turf a fortnight in the past.

Competing within the Convention League this season, Maresca has opted to discipline a B staff in these video games, repeatedly making 11 modifications. It hasn’t hampered them, as they’re high of the desk with most factors and 16 targets from three video games, together with Thursday’s 8-0 annihilation of Armenian aspect Noah.

What the managers say

Arteta: “When you do not win it impacts the temper and power however the optimistic factor is that it’s unimaginable that anybody on this room or exterior needs to win greater than I do, and these guys within the dressing room need to do. Immediately I had a gathering with them about it and I can sense it immediately.

“I am actually impressed about what [Maresca’s] finished, however what they’ve finished over a yr as a result of with Mauricio [Pocchetino] the final six months have been extraordinary. You could possibly see the squad, the standard they’ve, the quantity of gamers they’ve after which Enzo has given his contact and you may see clearly what he needs to do. I believe he’s been actually courageous from day one to persistently comply with what he wished to do.”

Maresca: “On this second, the sensation from us is that we will compete, and we will win towards any staff. Now we have the proper feeling that we’re stepping into the proper path. Hopefully on Sunday, we can provide our followers a great day. 

“I additionally wish to get stress from these sorts of video games. For certain, [Arsenal] are the closest ones with Metropolis. Each, I take into account them higher than the remaining. However we will attempt to make life tough for them. Set items, they’re superb. I watched the Champions League recreation towards Inter Milan, and each nook was smelling of a aim.”

Group information

Declan Rice missed the sport towards Inter Milan in midweek with a toe downside and Mikel Arteta is uncertain as as to if he’ll be match to face Chelsea, with the identical going for Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz who have been compelled off within the San Siro.

Raheem Sterling is unavailable as he can’t function towards his guardian membership, whereas Riccardo Calafiori continues to nurse a knee downside. Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney stay out with the knee and hamstring accidents which have hampered them all through the season.

Maresca’s important fear surrounds Cole Palmer, who picked up a knock towards Manchester United final weekend following a deal with by Lisandro Martinez and has missed most coaching periods this week consequently, whereas Jaydon Sancho has been fighting sickness however is edging nearer to a return. 

TALKING TACTICS

Adrian Clarke: Contemplating the dimensions of his squad I’ve been very impressed by Maresca’s administration and his intelligent use of 4-2-3-1. He has gone about his work calmly, tweaked the type of play, and in some way discovered a settled aspect that he can belief.

The Premier League’s greatest central midfielder this season has been Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian’s ball-winning qualities have actually come to the fore in a extra defensive function underneath Maresca, and his partnership with Romeo Lavia is blossoming very properly. Chelsea additionally wish to invert their full-backs so we should not get overloaded in these central areas, however it’s additionally a ploy we could look to take advantage of by raiding shortly down the flanks on transitions.

Nicolas Jackson’s tempo can also be one thing to look out for. He has been rejuvenated, discovering the again of the online six occasions, and he’ll look to dash in behind as typically as he can. In these conditions, Palmer and Caicedo are particularly good at sliding in by means of balls for him to run onto.

The one difficulty that ought to give us encouragement is their lack of fresh sheets. Throughout their final 10 matches the Blues have solely shut out minnows Barrow and FC Noah, conceding a couple of times within the different eight fixtures. There are eight top-flight groups with a greater anticipated targets towards report than Chelsea, so if we assault with positivity and conviction, we must always create loads of possibilities.

Info and stats

Chelsea have gained simply certainly one of their final 9 Premier League video games towards us (D2 L6), a 2-0 away win in August 2021.

Now we have gained three of our final 4 Premier League away video games towards Chelsea (D1), as many as we had in our earlier 20 visits.

The Blues have misplaced simply certainly one of their final 10 London derbies within the Premier League (W7 D2), nonetheless that defeat did come towards us in April.

Chelsea have conceded a minimum of as soon as in every of their final six Premier League dwelling video games, final having an extended such run between December 2015 and August 2016 (13). With 5 of these video games coming in 2024/25, it’s their longest run and not using a dwelling clear sheet from the beginning of a league marketing campaign since 2011/12 (6).

We final misplaced three in a row on the street in December 2021, whereas we final did so with out scoring in August 1994.

Now we have misplaced simply certainly one of our final 26 Premier League video games on the weekend instantly following a European fixture (W19 D6), towards Aston Villa in April.

Of all managers to face Chelsea a minimum of 10 occasions within the Premier League, solely Kenny Dalglish (77%) has a better win price towards the Blues than Mikel Arteta (60%), who’s unbeaten in his 5 journeys to Stamford Bridge.

No participant has been concerned in additional Premier League targets this season than Cole Palmer (7 targets, 5 assists), whereas he’s additionally created essentially the most possibilities from open play (24).

Bukayo Saka has offered extra assists than some other participant within the Premier League (7). He’s additionally both scored (1) or assisted (2) a aim in every of his final three away video games towards Chelsea within the Premier League, with Sergio Aguero and Javier Hernandez the one visiting gamers to take action in 4 consecutive appearances.