Fresh from underwhelming but ultimately effective displays in midweek, Arsenal and Chelsea face off at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday with the stakes altogether different for both sides. A win would certainly be welcome for Mikel Arteta’s side, who have dropped points in their last three domestic games, but they would appear to be safely ensconced above the battle for Champions League qualification below them.
For Chelsea, the pressure is certainly on. Fourth in the league at the start of the weekend, the Blues are among the favorites to pick up one of what is almost certain to be three Champions League qualifying spots behind the Gunners but dropped points this weekend would drag them right into the mire. The Blues lost 5-0 on their last trip to north London and are winless in their last six Premier League meetings with Arsenal, their longest run since a decade-long drought up to 2005.
Viewing information
- Date: Sunday, March 15 | Time: 9:30 a.m. ET
- Location: Emirates Stadium — London
- Live stream: Peacock
- Odds: Arsenal -125; Draw +270; Chelsea +333
Team news
Arsenal: Gabriel Martinelli made a surprise return from a hamstring injury last weekend against Manchester United but Arteta made clear his reluctance to overburden the Brazilian with minutes given that he was ahead of schedule last week. That opens the door to Mikel Merino retaining his role at center forward, particularly as Raheem Sterling won’t be able to follow up his man-of-the-match display against PSV Eindhoven in midweek. On loan from Chelsea, he cannot play against his parent club.
Further back, Ben White could also feature after starting on Wednesday; every spot apart from striker Arsenal seem to have options. It may not be too long before Bukayo Saka returns to contention too. “He’s getting closer,” said Arteta. “He’s stepping up and making very good progress. Let’s see when we decide to throw him in, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly”. Surely, however, the priority will be getting Saka back for the Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid, the first leg of which is on April 8.
Possible Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
Chelsea: Enzo Maresca confirmed on Friday that he has once more switched his first choice goalkeeper in the Premier League, Robert Sanchez restored to the side after a brief dalliance with Fillip Jorgensen. “I’ve said many times we are happy with both goalkeepers,” said the Chelsea boss, betraying the fact that few happy managers ever rotate their starting goalkeeper. “Since we started, the idea wasn’t to change the goalkeeper but you have to be flexible; we do this with the game plan, the way we want to attack and defend, but we also have to be flexible with players.”
Malo Gusto is a doubt with a hamstring issue but Reece James might well have started anyway, returning to a side that will bear a string of changes from that which beat Copenhagen 1-0 in the Conference League on Thursday. Both Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo started that game and figure to start on Sunday, the only question being whether Romeo Lavia joins them in midfield with Cole Palmer shunted out wide. With Nicolas Jackson still sidelined with a hamstring issue, Pedro Neto figures to lead the line.
Possible Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Palmer, Fernandez, Sancho; Neto
Prediction
Expect this to be an attritional game between two teams a fair way off their best level. PICK: Arsenal 1, Chelsea 1
