Despite having their sights set on a top-four finish, Arsenal's recent form has been unconvincing, having scored and conceded in each of their last seven games, including shipping 11 goals in their last four matches. Chelsea, on the other hand, is currently in a five-game losing streak, with their most recent defeat being a 2-0 loss to Brentford.
Crystal Palace's victory over West Ham pushed them above Chelsea in the standings, leaving the Blues just 10 points clear of the relegation zone. It is also mathematically impossible for Chelsea to challenge for the top four, making the team's aim to avoid a 20th loss of the campaign against Arsenal.
The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 1-0 victory for Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, while Chelsea won 2-0 at the Emirates in August 2021. The travelling fans will be hoping for a similar showing from ex-Gunner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to secure a win over their rivals.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal boss Arteta has expressed doubts that William Saliba will recover from his back problem in time for the Chelsea match, and there are concerns he may miss the remainder of the season. Mohamed Elneny and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also unavailable due to season-ending knee injuries.After their loss to Manchester City, Arsenal did not suffer any fresh injury concerns and are expected to field a largely unchanged team. However, Leandro Trossard could challenge Gabriel Martinelli for a starting role after his impressive cameo against Man City. Meanwhile, Chelsea have lost Mason Mount and Reece James for the rest of the season due to pelvic and thigh injuries respectively, and Marc Cucurella is also facing a couple of weeks out with a thigh issue.
Armando Broja, Marcus Bettinelli, and Kalidou Koulibaly are also out injured. Although Kai Havertz has a knee concern, he is expected to be fit for the derby, and if he is cleared to play, Aubameyang is likely to start from the bench.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Trossard; Jesus
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Chalobah, Silva, Fofana, Chilwell; Fernandez, Kante, Gallagher; Felix, Havertz, Sterling
EXPERT PREDICTION
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
Despite Chelsea's recent struggles in front of goal, Arsenal cannot take their opponents lightly at the Emirates, where clean sheets have been hard to come by for the Gunners. Nevertheless, Arsenal have a chance to bounce back from their recent setback against Manchester City, and a win against a depleted Chelsea side could propel them back to the top of the table, albeit temporarily.
Without Saliba, Arsenal's defense may be vulnerable, but a victory over the Blues could restore some confidence in their build-up play and defensive solidity. While it may not be a straightforward win, Arsenal should have enough to come out on top, even if they have to weather a few storms along the way.
