Arsenal vs. Chelsea – The Derby Double Header
Premier League fans have a thrilling weekend ahead, starting with a high-stakes showdown between Liverpool and Everton. Following this early kickoff, London giants will lock horns at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea hosts Arsenal. But the focus is on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who are aiming to maintain their unbeaten start in the 2023-24 season.
Arsenal’s Impressive Form in the Premier League
Arsenal is riding high after a crucial 1-0 victory over Manchester City just before the international break. Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal secured their first Premier League win against Pep Guardiola, their former mentor. With six wins and two draws this season, Arsenal’s unbeaten run harks back to the 2007-08 season, setting the stage for a possible table-topping performance.
Defensive Mastery
The standout feature of Arsenal’s victory over City was their exceptional defensive display. With only four shots allowed, none from Erling Haaland, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães played a crucial role. Arteta is hopeful to have Saliba back after a toe injury.
Midfield Dynamo
Captain Martin Ødegaard is not only known for unlocking opposition defenses but has applied more pressures than any other Premier League player this season (253). His versatility in both the middle and attacking thirds is unmatched.
Selection Dilemmas
While Ødegaard partners with Declan Rice in midfield, Arteta faces choices further forward. Bukayo Saka’s return is anticipated, and Kai Havertz could face his former club, bringing promising omens. Notably, 27 players who previously represented Chelsea in the Premier League have scored against them, more than against any other club.
Facing a Familiar Foe
Arsenal will face former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, who has an unbeaten record in home Premier League games against Arsenal, spanning his time with Southampton and Spurs. His past North London derbies have produced goals and drama aplenty.
Chelsea’s Recent Form
Chelsea heads into the match with back-to-back wins and an appetite for a third successive victory, something they haven’t achieved since October of last year. However, they’ve faltered in their last two home matches.
Injury Woes
Pochettino’s Chelsea has been grappling with a long injury list this season, with captain Reece James and others facing fitness setbacks. The likes of Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, and Axel Disasi are doubtful, but Mykhailo Mudryk, who scored for Ukraine during the international break, is on the mend. Chelsea’s injury concerns also extend to key players like Ben Chilwell, Roméo Lavia, and Christopher Nkunku, who are sidelined with long-term injuries.
Arsenal vs Chelsea: Head-to-Head
Traditionally, Chelsea held the upper hand in their Premier League encounters with Arsenal, but recent years have seen a shift in this dynamic.
In their last six league matches against the Gunners, the Blues have experienced a downturn, losing five (with one victory). This stands in stark contrast to their previous 25 encounters, where they only suffered five defeats, with 14 wins and six draws.
On the other hand, Arsenal boasts a proud record in London derbies, going unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League meetings with fellow capital clubs, which includes 11 wins and four draws. This remarkable streak ranks as the third-longest in Premier League history. Chelsea once enjoyed a 20-game unbeaten streak between 2004 and 2006, and Arsenal itself had a remarkable 35-match run without defeat in top-flight London derbies between 2001 and 2005.
When it comes to managerial prowess, Mikel Arteta has an impressive record, winning 62.5% of his Premier League games against Chelsea, comprising five wins, one draw, and two losses. Among managers who have faced the Blues in the competition more than five times, only Kenny Dalglish (76.9%) and Pep Guardiola (64.3%) have achieved a better win rate against them.
The most recent clash between these two teams occurred at the Emirates Stadium in May. Arsenal emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline, courtesy of goals from Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Jesus, and Noni Madueke. This result exemplified the evolving landscape of this historic rivalry.
Chelsea’s Unwanted History
Chelsea faces a significant challenge in reversing their recent form when they take the field on Saturday. They’ve suffered back-to-back defeats in their last two home Premier League games, losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. Interestingly, they’ve only experienced such a streak once at Stamford Bridge, and that was in November 1993 when they lost three in a row, with the third match being a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Arsenal’s Resilience
Arsenal, on the other hand, has showcased remarkable resilience in recent matches. They’ve suffered just one defeat in their 12 games across all competitions this season, and that lone loss came away in France against Lens in the UEFA Champions League on 3 October (2-1).
Impressive Away Record
One of Arsenal’s standout achievements is their flawless record in away Premier League games this season. They’ve won all three of their away matches without conceding a single goal, triumphing over Crystal Palace, Everton, and Bournemouth. Their remarkable performance could make them the first side in top-flight history to win each of their first four away games in a season while keeping clean sheets in every victory.
This isn’t the first time Arsenal has started a season with four successive road wins; they previously achieved this feat in 1903-04 and 2004-05. It’s worth noting that this is only the second time Arsenal hasn’t conceded in their first three away games of a league season, with the first instance occurring in 1995-96. However, they’ll be looking to avoid a repeat of history when they travel to Chelsea, having lost 1-0 in their next road trip after their previous clean sheet streak in 1995-96.
The upcoming clash between the London heavyweights today presents a tough challenge in trying to distinguish between them.
But our predictions are it will be a close contested game with goals at both ends and you might just see them scraping out for a point each or Arsenal might just edge over due to their recent form.
