Mikel Arteta needs to be wary of a ‘really dangerous’ encounter in Arsenal’s upcoming match against Chelsea, pundit Chris Sutton has warned....CONTINUE READING
Currently perched at the top of the table, the Gunners have an opportunity to stretch their lead by four points with a victory over the Blues. Reigning champions Man City will, however, have two games in hand over Arsenal and are in action on Thursday, while Liverpool take on Everton in the Merseyside Derby on Wednesday night.
If City manage to capitalise on both their matches in hand, Guardiola’s crew would sit two points clear of Arteta’s men even if the latter achieve success against Chelsea.
The past few weeks have presented some rough sailing for Arsenal, with last weekend’s 2-0 triumph at Wolves serving as an effective remedy following back-to-back losses to Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, the second of which resulted in their Champions League exit at the quarter-finals.
While the Premier League crown remains a viable target for Arsenal, city rivals Chelsea have minimal left to compete for this season. Eliminated from all cup competitions and currently occupying ninth position in the league, Mauricio Pochettino’s squad will need to summon pride when they arrive at the Gunners’ home turf.
Former Blue and current pundit Chris Sutton has cautioned that underestimating the challenge on Tuesday could prove costly for Arteta’s troops.
Talking to BBC Sport via the Mirror, he said: “Arsenal bounced back from a bad week really well against Wolves on Saturday and won comfortably, but Chelsea put in a good performance too despite losing their FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City.
“This feels like a really dangerous game for the Gunners, and the rivalry between the two clubs is going to be a big factor as well. Chelsea probably should have beaten them at Stamford Bridge in October but let a two-goal lead slip late on.
“They are making progress under Mauricio Pochettino, but they still have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot like they did that day. So, I am backing Arsenal to find a way of winning this one, although again, it is going to be extremely close. Arsenal 2-1.”
Chelsea may face an uphill battle against Arsenal on Tuesday, with reports suggesting star player Cole Palmer will be sidelined due to illness. Palmer’s absence will come as a blow to the Blues, as the former Manchester City youth product has been in blistering form this season, including scoring against Arsenal in their previous encounter.
The Blues are also dealing with injury concerns surrounding Ben Chilwell and Malo Gusto, leaving manager Mauricio Pochettino with a selection dilemma at full-back.
In contrast, Arsenal are relatively healthy, with only long-term absentee Jurrien Timber unavailable for selection. Takehiro Tomiyasu could potentially return after missing Saturday’s trip to Molineux..<<CONTINUE READING>>
