Chelsea faces Arsenal on Boxing Day in what looks to be one of the most uneven encounters between the two London clubs in recent years.
Chelsea vs Arsenal will be a test of both the physical and psychological endurance of the two London clubs. Chelsea is a confident side, before their recent dip in form they went an astonishing 17 games unbeaten in all competitions, and the recent derby win against West Ham will upraise these spirits.
On the flip side, Arsenal is performing well below their standards. Of their past five Premier League games, they have lost 4 and drawn 1. Very little will argue that their league position is undeserving after seeing their recent performances. Thierry Henry himself would rather venture on a morning stroll than to turn on the television and watch them play.
However, in a match like this, the psychological endurance of the two teams will play a key part in the result. One may argue that Chelsea’s squad is much stronger than Arsenal’s. But complacency plays just as big a role as technical ability does in deciding the outcome of a match. Chelsea will be facing a wounded animal in Arsenal, but also one determined to redirect a season that is certainly heading into 2021 a disaster.
Therefore, Frank Lampard’s biggest fear coming into this match will be signs of complacency in his squad. With recent matches against Everton and Wolves showing what a drop in performance level could do to an in-form team. But a sudden drop in level is not foreseeable, and for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side it seems their next win against Chelsea could be coming once in a “Blue” moon.
Team News
Chelsea will be preparing for the match without arguably the best right-back this season thus far, in Reece James. While Ben Chilwell, who twisted his ankle against West Ham is a doubt for the match against Arsenal. Another notable absentee will be Hakim Ziyech, with the Moroccan still nurturing the hamstring injury he sustained in the first half against Leeds United.
Nonetheless, Chelsea’s squad still looks formidable. With the return of Callum Hudson-Odoi from his hamstring injury, Chelsea will be welcoming back a much-needed attacking threat.
Predicted XI
Edouard Mendy will be between the sticks this coming Saturday. The Senegalese born stopper is in fine form, currently on 6 clean sheets in the Premier League, second only to Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez (7).
Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta will take his place at right-back, with Reece James expected to miss the trip to North London. While Kurt Zouma and Thiago Silva are unlikely to be broken up after a fine display against West Ham. Like the right-back situation, Emerson Palmieri is likely to start at left-back, at the expense of the injured Ben Chilwell.
In midfield, N’Golo Kante is likely to return to his deep-lying defensive mid role, joined by Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic, together forming Chelsea’s most in-form set of midfielders.
Switching to the attack, Callum Hudson-Odoi seems destined to make an appearance from the bench, after only just recovering from a hamstring injury. Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic are our predictions to start on the wings, with Tammy Abraham to keep his place at striker.
Full Predicted XI
Mendy,
Azpi, Zouma, Silva, Emerson,
Kante, Mount, Kovacic,
Pulisic, Abraham, Werner.
