Exciting Times Ahead
After a week of celebrating our latest north London derby victory, we gear up for another thrilling Premier League encounter this Sunday against Chelsea at 4.30pm.
Familiar Foes
The two teams are no strangers to each other, having already faced off in January and February. As we step into March, this marks their fourth meeting this season, with Chelsea eager to avenge their defeats in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final. However, to turn the tide, they’ll need to change their recent fortunes.
We have maintained an impressive unbeaten streak in our last 10 encounters across all competitions against Chelsea, who have struggled during their visits to N5 in recent years. In fact, they have returned home empty-handed from seven of their last nine matches at the Emirates Stadium, including the last four.
Blues Struggling for Points
Since their last trip to the Emirates on February 3, Chelsea has gone unbeaten in four matches, but manager Liam Rosenior will be disappointed with only five points from their last three league games.
After a victory over Crystal Palace in January, they managed a 3-1 win at Wolves, but home draws against Leeds United and Burnley—where they squandered leads—have left them clinging to a top-five position by goal difference. Only West Ham United (20) has dropped more points from winning positions than Chelsea’s 19 this season.
On a brighter note, they progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a commanding 4-0 win over Hull City, setting up a clash with Wrexham next weekend. In the Champions League, they will face the reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16.
Manager Insights
In his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta emphasized the significance of the upcoming match: “We know the importance of the game, and we know the team we’re going to have in front of us. We just have to prepare in the best way to have the right to win it. As I always say, there’s nothing else you can do. What we did two weeks or two years ago is irrelevant.”
On the other side, Rosenior stated: “I want the players to be as physically and mentally fresh as possible. They’ve looked really good in training this week. We need to stay calm and consistent in our process. This club should be in the Champions League, this club is a Champions League club. When I took over, we were eighth. We’re now in the race.”
Team Updates
Ben White missed the recent match against Tottenham due to a muscle issue, while Kai Havertz has been sidelined for three games with a thigh injury.
Mikel Merino is still recovering from a foot injury, and Max Dowman is working on his fitness with the under-21s after a two-month absence.
Wesley Fofana is suspended following a red card in the draw against Burnley, while Estevao is also out with a hamstring injury. Marc Cucurella and Jamie Gittens are dealing with similar issues. Backup goalkeeper Filip Jorgenson has been unavailable for a month, and Levi Colwill has missed the entire season due to an ACL injury. Mykhailo Mudryk is still suspended, but Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo are nearing a return to fitness.
Tactical Approaches
Adrian Clarke, in the official matchday programme, noted that it will be intriguing to see if Rosenior opts for the 3-5-2 formation used in the Carabao Cup semi-final or sticks with his preferred 4-2-3-1. The latter allows for rotation between Cole Palmer or Enzo Fernandez in wide positions and the No.10 role, though it can create a lopsided shape.
Chelsea enjoyed a 55% possession share in their last visit and average 58.7% in the Premier League. They prefer to build from the back, drawing opponents in before quickly switching play to the flanks.
Despite having the highest expected goals (xG) in the league, Chelsea has struggled defensively, particularly with set pieces. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has shown uncertainty when dealing with in-swinging deliveries. Will Rosenior leave three players upfield for corners, as he did last month? This could help Sanchez but may also leave space for Arsenal to exploit.
Key Stats
- Chelsea is winless in their last eight Premier League matches against Arsenal, marking their longest streak since 1995-2005.
- Arsenal has won 17 of their 21 home games this season, scoring 51 goals and conceding just 12.
- Mikel Arteta has lost only one of his last 15 games against Chelsea since his second match in charge.
- In the last 25 Premier League London derbies, Arsenal has lost just once.
- Chelsea has received six red cards this season, the most in the league.
- Ebere Eze has scored all six of his goals this season in London derbies.
- Martin Odegaard has been involved in seven goals in his last seven league starts against Chelsea.
Match Officials
Darren England will officiate the match, having overseen Arsenal six times previously, with the Gunners winning six of those matches. This will be his fourth Chelsea game this season, with the Blues recording one win, one draw, and one loss under his supervision.
Previous Encounters
Arsenal has won their last three home league matches against Chelsea, with the last victory coming just four weeks ago when a late goal from Havertz secured a 4-2 aggregate win in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. Almost a year ago, Merino scored the only goal in another narrow win.
In their previous encounter, Chelsea suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat, with White scoring twice and Havertz netting two more after Trossard opened the scoring.
Live Coverage
Join us for Live From N5 this Sunday, starting an hour before kick-off with Nicole Holliday and Jeremie Aliadiere in the studio. Engage with our Reddit community, test your memory of Arsenal goals, and catch up with our women’s squad at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.
Live commentary will be available via the app and website, so don’t miss out on the action!
