Arsenal v Chelsea – Match Preview

Arsenal v Chelsea – Match Preview

Arsenal welcome Chelsea to the Emirates on Sunday in what is the match of the weekend in the English Premier League. Arsenal currently lead the Premier League table while Chelsea are languishing in the bottom half of the table. With both sides looking for points for differing reasons, Sunday’s match is one not to be missed.

Arsenal go into Sunday’s match on the back of two draws against Liverpool and Stoke. A 3-3 draw at Anfield was followed up last week with a goalless draw versus Stoke at the Britannia Stadium. Despite these dropped points, Arsene Wenger’s side still lead the table as they look to win their first Premier League title since 2004. Sunday’s match is seen by many as must-win for Arsenal in the race for this season’s title. In seasons past, Arsenal have failed to defeat the ‘big teams’, however Chelsea are not one of their main rivals this season and Arsenal fans will be hoping for a strong and positive performance. Arsenal have been in impressive form at home recently, unbeaten in their last nine home matches and conceding just four goals. They have however failed to score against Chelsea in the last five meetings and have not defeated their London rivals since a 5-3 victory in October 2011.

Chelsea come into the match in the best form of any team in the Premier League – unbeaten in their last six league matches. They are however in 14th place in the league, 14 points of a Champions League spot. New manager Guus Hiddink has brought some stability to the Stamford Bridge side and it was under Hiddink that Chelsea inflicted Arsenal’s heaviest Premier League defeat at the Emirates when they defeated the Gunners 4-1 in May 2009. Chelsea do have a strong record against Arsenal, unbeaten in their last eight meetings, including five victories. Hiddink and his Chelsea side would love nothing more than to derail Arsenal’s title ambitions on Sunday but they may well have to do so without striker Diego Costa. Costa picked up a shin injury in the 3-3 draw with Everton last weekend and he is a major doubt for Sunday. Loic Remy is the likely player to replace Costa in the starting line up but Remy is out of form at the moment, not starting a match since September and with only a single goal so far this season.

Arsenal are the 2 (Evens) favourites for Sunday’s match with Chelsea available to back at 4 (3/1) and the draw at 3.6 (13/5). With three of the last four Premier League matches between these two sides at the Emirates ending in 0-0 draws a bet on the total match goals may prove to be the most profitable .The football betting tip for Sunday’s match between Arsenal and Chelsea is under 2.5 goals in the match at 1.91 (10/11).

By: Scott McGlynn