Arsenal v Chelsea
The classic between Arsenal and Chelsea takes place at the Emirates Stadium this Sunday. The Gunners, under coach Mikel Arteta, want to make amends for their 2-2 draw against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League and also consolidate their second place in the table. With 55 points, they are 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool, but they have at least won two consecutive Premier League games.
Chelsea, buoyed by a 1-0 win over Leicester, are in fourth place with 49 points, just six behind Arsenal. Interestingly, the Blues have not beaten the Gunners in recent years. The last meeting at Stamford Bridge in November ended in a 1-1 draw. Before that, Arsenal declassified their London rivals 5-0 at the Emirates. After the recent 1-1 draw against Manchester United, the Gunners are also keen to get back on the road to success, while Chelsea under Enzo Maresca, according to the British media, are acting too slowly at times and need more pace.
Arsenal – Chelsea Info
- Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
- Date and Time: 03/16/2025, 2:30 PM
- Competition: Premier League
Arsenal Form & Record Check
Arsenal’s current form is worrying: Only one win in the last five matches indicates a noticeable slump. It is also striking that the Gunners have conceded in the first half in 80% of these games. The 2-2 draw against PSV on Wednesday once again highlighted their defensive vulnerability, as despite early goals from Zinchenko and Rice, the lead could not be maintained.
The narrow gap of just four points to their pursuers Nottingham Forest further increases the pressure in the title race. Although Arsenal showed an impressive side in the 7-1 win over PSV, they have often lacked offensive punch in the Premier League recently. Saka, who usually shines with precise finishes and assists, has underperformed recently, along with the rest of the team. Added to that was the disappointing 1-1 draw at Manchester United, which did not mean a breakthrough in the title fight.
Before the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, Arteta urgently needs to stabilize the defense. Only then can the Gunners find their old consistency against Chelsea again.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta is likely to stick with his preferred 4-3-3 system against Chelsea as well. David Raya is expected in goal again, having recently impressed with strong saves against Manchester United. Saliba, White, Magalhães and Kiwior could line up in the center of defense. The offensive midfield will likely form a trio around Ødegaard, Merino and Rice.
However, the absence of Bukayo Saka (thigh) and Kai Havertz (muscle injury) is a serious blow. Sterling could step in as a replacement on the right wing, while Martinelli could play on the left and Trossard in the center of attack. Gabriel Jesus is also still unavailable, which robs Arteta of additional tactical flexibility.
Chelsea currently still appear quite uncertain. Although the Blues secured three valuable points in their narrow 1-0 win over Leicester, their performance left something to be desired. The recent defeats in the Premier League – a 0-3 loss to Brighton and a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa – revealed major difficulties in building play. Marscasa’s possession-oriented strategy does not yet appear to have been successfully implemented, as the team often acts too statically and predictably.
Interestingly, Chelsea are performing much better in the European stage, as shown by the 2-1 away win in Copenhagen. With 49 points, the Blues are still in 4th place in the league and are only two points behind Nottingham Forest. Remarkable is the offensive power: in four of the last five games, Chelsea scored more than 1.5 goals. However, the defense has been a cause for concern in recent games, as it has regularly conceded goals. So Maresca faces the challenge of ensuring more balance between attack and defense.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca is also expected to use his proven 4-2-3-1 system. In attack, Neto is likely to replace the injured Jackson (thigh), while Palmer, Nkunku and Sancho will provide creativity behind him. Reece James (ill) and Noni Madueke (thigh) are also out, so options on the right side of the pitch are severely limited.
Caicedo and Fernández are expected to start in the center of defense, while Cucurella, Adarabioyo, Colwill and Fofana will likely form the back four. Sánchez is expected in goal. It will only be clear shortly before kick-off how Maresca will react to the absences in detail.
In the last five direct duels between Arsenal and Chelsea, the results clearly favor the Gunners. They remained unbeaten, recording three wins and two draws. It is striking that Arsenal scored at least once in each of these encounters, while Chelsea could not record a single clean sheet. The most recent clash in November 2024 ended 1-1 at Stamford Bridge, while before that, Arsenal ran out clear winners 5-0 at the Emirates.
Looking at the course of the games, less than 1.5 goals were scored in the first half in 80% of the duels, whereas significantly more goals were seen after the break. The 3-1 home defeat for the Blues in May 2023 and the 1-0 defeat in November 2022 round off an overall unfortunate run for Chelsea. For the upcoming clash at the Emirates, the statistics therefore again point to an advantage for Arsenal.
