Prediction: Arsenal vs Chelsea

Verdict: Chelsea win & over 1.5 goals

Best Odds: 5/4

Bookmaker: Unibet

In what is a real London derby on Sunday afternoon, Chelsea will make the trip to the Emirates when they face off against what could be a downbeat Arsenal side.

Arsenal

Starting with the hosts, enduring what was a hugely frustrating campaign last season, and failing to book any kind of European finish, The Gunners also endured a nightmare start last weekend. Making the trip to Premier League debutants Brentford, Mikel Arteta’s side were hit with a deserved 2-0 defeat in West London, a result that has only seen the Spaniard come under more scrutiny. With many of the vocal fans around the Emirates far from convinced that Pep Guardiola’s former right-hand man is the person to take them forward, The Reds also showed a host of issues during their pre-season preparations. Signing off their summer run with a 1-0 defeat against bitter rivals Tottenham, Arsenal failed to win any of their four friendly matchups, a run highlighted by a 2-1 loss at the hands of Scottish outfit Hibernian. Suffering a 2-1 defeat when they last faced off against Sunday’s guests in a pre-season showdown back on August 1st, there is no doubt that Arteta’s side should face another stern test on home soil.

Team News

Missing last weekend’s 2-0 defeat away at Brentford, both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette could once again miss out on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Partey (ankle) and Gabriel (knee) are also sidelined and will not feature at the Emirates.

Chelsea

As for the visitors, while Arsenal might find themselves in the midst of a real North London nightmare, Chelsea will make the trip across the capital this weekend with the mood in their camp at a red-hot high. Opening the 2021/22 campaign with a real flurry as they stormed their way to a 3-0 victory against Crystal Palace on home soil, The Blues have enjoyed a stunning rise since bringing Thomas Tuchel in earlier in the year. Shocking many, including Manchester City, as they lifted the Champions League title thanks to May’s 1-0 victory, the former PSG boss now finds his side tipped as a genuine contender in the title chase. Giving the fans around Stamford Bridge another boost with the news that Romelu Lukaku has completed a record-breaking return to the Premier League, Chelsea should be looking to lay down another marker on Sunday afternoon. Landing that 2-1 pre-season win when they made the trip to the Emirates when opening August, Tuchel’s high-flying squad really are enjoying a stellar purple patch.

Team News

Making his Premier League return last week, Romelu Lukaku looks set to feature on Sunday afternoon, even if he does come off the bench.

N’Golo Kante should be back from an ankle injury, though Ruben Loftus-Cheek is out after testing positive for Covid-19. Likewise, Hakim Ziyech is recovering from the shoulder injury he picked up in the Super Cup last week.

Key Factors to Consider

• When Sunday’s opponents faced off on August 1st in a pre-season friendly, Chelsea picked up a 2-1 victory at the Emirates.
• Chelsea signed off the 2020/21 campaign by losing just one of their final nine Premier League matchups away from Stamford Bridge.
• Including their pre-season run, and that 2-0 loss against Brentford last weekend, Arsenal have failed to win any of their last five matchups, suffering four defeats.
• Six of the last seven fixtures between Arsenal and Chelsea across all formats have finished with both teams finding the net.

Conclusion

Opening the new campaign with a thumping 3-0 win as fans returned to Stamford Bridge last weekend, there is no doubt that the mood in Chelsea’s camp should be at a red-hot high. Lifting the Champions League title after that 1-0 victory against Manchester City back in May, Thomas Tuchel’s side will make the trip across London looking to lay down another marker. With many tipping The Blues as a genuine contender in the title chase this season, a struggling Arsenal might face another tough test on home soil. Suffering that 2-0 loss against Premier League debutants Brentford last weekend and enduring a woeful pre-season run, it should also be highlighted that they suffered a 2-1 defeat when they welcomed Chelsea to the Emirates on August 1st. Given the huge recent gulf in class, we’re backing an away win here.

Verdict: Chelsea win & over 1.5 goals

Best Odds: 5/4

Bookmaker: Unibet