It looked like Chelsea are genuine title contender when they beat Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates earlier in the season while that made it two defeats in as many league games for the Gunners as they endured a worrying start to the season in the league.
(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Eight months later, a lot has changed although Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea are well above the Gunners on the Premier League Standing, it is the same cause they now burn for as the race to secure a place in the Champions League next season heat up.
Chelsea are on 62 points having played one less game than Arsenal while Mikel Arteta side are eight points behind their fellow Londoners, having endured a bad run of results since the return from the international break.
The Gunners have lost each of their last three games to Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton while their rival of also in that time suffered defeats in the hands of Brentford and Real Madrid, the later which eventually ended their title defense in the UEFA Champions League despite the great showing away at the Bernabéu.
Chelsea nonetheless heads into Wednesday’s clash on the back of the straight wins, the later which was a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace to seal a place in the FA Cup final for the third straight season. This time they will play Liverpool in the final.
A win for Chelsea will see them go eight points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur despite having another game in hand. That will almost mean a place for them in Europe top club competition next season but a defeat won’t mean they won’t qualify as they are in a good position to claim third with six games more for the other clubs while they will have seven.
For the visitors, the belief seemed to have faltered after the loss of Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey to injuries which may have well ended their season and since then, the Gunners have recorded zero point from their three games.
A defeat tonight will end their dreams of returning to the Champions League for the first time since the 2016-17 season, when Arsene Wenger was still in charge at the club.
Arsenal will continue to be without Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney while Takehiro Tomiyasu is back from the sideline after missing out since their 2-0 Carabao Cup semi final second leg loss to Liverpool at the Emirates.
Chelsea will also be without Matteo Kovavic who was injured in their win over Crystal Palace last weekend. Ben Chilwell and Calum Hudson-Odoi will also miss the game as they continue their time on the sideline.
The Gunners are unbeaten in their leash two visits to Stamford Bridge, that coincides with the number of times Mikel Arteta has managed a game away to Chelsea winning one and drawing the other.
Chelsea however beat Arsenal in the reverse fixture and will looking to complete the double over their fellow Londoners for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
