ANY talk of whether Arsenal might “bottle it” in their hunt for the Premier League title was quickly dispelled after the 4-1 hammering of Tottenham Hotspur last week.
Goals by Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres put to bed jibes from opposing supporters of their mental fortitude after a short blip in form earlier.
The result should also give Mikel Arteta’s team a huge confidence boost as they take on another London rival in Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in the late game tomorrow.
The Gunners are definitely the favourites against the Blues, given their superior home form, with 10 wins, two draws and one defeat this season.
In the last 10 matches against Chelsea at home, Arsenal have won six times and lost twice.
Their most notable victory was the 5-0 win back in April 2024.
There is no doubt that Arsenal are currently the best team in the league, as well as in Europe, this season.
Along with Manchester City, they have the best attack in the league, with 56 goals, and boast the best defence with only 21 goals conceded.
Likewise in the UEFA Champions League standings, they topped the table with the most goals scored (23) and fewest goals conceded (four).
The partnership struck between William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes in the heart of the defence underpins Arsenal’s resilience.
According to statistics, the Gunners have conceded the fewest shots on target in the league, at 1.9 per game.
Both fullbacks, Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber, have also helped with the defensive duties by occupying spaces in midfield.
Together with Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, they created a solid shield for Saliba and Magalhaes, while allowing the creative players more freedom in attack.
Against Chelsea, Arteta will be without Ben White, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz.
The attackers should consist of Gyokeres, Eze, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard.
As for Chelsea, this may very well be a grudge match to get one back at Arsenal.
The Blues were dumped out of the Carabao League Cup by the Gunners, losing 4-2 on aggregate over two legs in the semi-finals.
Chelsea are currently unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions, so there is still a chance that they could spring a surprise against Arteta’s side.
Under new head coach Liam Rosenior, Chelsea have become quite a dangerous side, especially when they play away from Stamford Bridge.
They are in joint second with Aston Villa for the best away form, with 22 points – Gunners are the best with 29.
Interestingly, Chelsea and Arsenal are joint-top for away goals scored with 25 apiece –though the Blues have reached that tally in two fewer matches.
Joao Pedro is Chelsea’s most dangerous forward with 11 league goals and four assists, and will be a crucial cog in attack.
He should be supported by Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto in the encounter with Arsenal.
Rosenior will be without Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Jamie Gittens due to injuries, while Estevao is a doubt.
Wesley Fofana is suspended for one match after receiving his marching orders in the 1-1 draw with Burnley last week.
Chelsea’s back four should feature Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Reece James and Malo Gusto, with Moises Caicedo and Andrey Santos forming the midfield pivot.
While there has been an upturn in form and performance, there are still some concerns for the Blues regarding their defensive vulnerabilities.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has had a few howlers, with inconsistent decision-making and unnecessary risk-taking.
The Blues also struggled against set pieces, having the league’s poorest record when defending against dead-ball situations.
Chelsea’s disciplinary record has been poor this season; they lead the league for dismissals with six red cards, while a further 66 yellow cards have been brandished.
The Gunners, whose lead at the top of the table has been cut down to just five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City who have a game in hand, cannot afford to slip up.
Having played bridesmaid for over the last three seasons, this year is realistically Arteta’s best shot at finally winning the league since he became the head coach in 2019.
But still, among the supporters of the North London side, there is a sense of uneasiness, having experienced and seen a recurring pattern of late-season collapses in the past.
And there have already been calls on social media for Arteta’s sacking if he fails to deliver again.
The pressure on him and his team to deliver is intense and could prove to be their undoing.
As Juergen Klopp recently said, having Man City behind you is like being chased by a wild dog; slip up and it all becomes a dream.
