London Derby: Chelsea vs. Arsenal Preview

In a highly-anticipated London derby, Chelsea will host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 21, 2023, for their Premier League Matchday 9 clash.

Chelsea’s Recent Form

Chelsea enters the contest following an upswing in form, having gone three consecutive games without a defeat.

This marks the first time they have achieved this feat since Graham Potter’s last weeks in March 2023. Despite this improved performance, they currently find themselves in the 11th place in the Premier League standings.

The hosts, with their star-studded lineup, are aiming to build on their recent success by securing a third consecutive Premier League victory, a feat they haven’t accomplished since October 2022.

Arsenal’s Impressive Start

Interestingly, this match comes just two weekends after Arsenal’s remarkable victory over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Premier League.

The win was a significant comeback for coach Mikel Arteta and his team after a hard-fought defeat in the Champions League against Lens.

In the ongoing 2023-2024 Premier League campaign, Arsenal has yet to experience defeat, making them one of only two teams with this distinction.

Currently, they share the same number of points with first-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who also remain unbeaten, with only a two-goal difference separating the two.

Table-Toppers at Stake

Should coach Arteta’s side manage to secure a victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, they could ascend to the top of the league table.

This would be pending the outcome of the game between Spurs and Fulham on Monday, setting the stage for an exciting week in the Premier League.

Team News for the Clash

In terms of team news, Chelsea will be missing several key players, including Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Ben Chilwell, Romeo Lavia, Trevoh Chalobah, and Carney Chukwuemeka.

However, Malo Gusto is set to return from a domestic ban to potentially fill in, even if captain Reece James, though pictured in training, may not be fit enough to start.

There is also optimism regarding the return of Nicolas Jackson from a wrist injury.

For Arsenal, they may visit Stamford Bridge without Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, and William Saliba, all of whom withdrew from international duty this month due to fitness concerns.

Saka, however, is considered likely to be included in the team.

Probable Starting Lineups

Chelsea:

• Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo, Gallagher; Palmer, Jackson, Sterling

Arsenal:

• Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Partey; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli

Match Prediction

Arsenal, who have secured victories over Chelsea in four of their last five matches, hold a 42 percent chance of repeating their success at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea, with a 30 percent chance, aims to claim the victory. However, the game is likely to favor Chelsea with a predicted 2-1 win.