Julius OkorieTitle chasing hopefuls, Arsenal, will be hoping to consolidate as they welcome equally ambitious Chelsea at the Emirates today, with fans of both teams describing it as Super Sunday.
The Gunners are second on the league table with 55 points in 28 matches but with 15 points below table toppers, Liverpool, who boast of 70 points in their 29 games.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelChelsea though currently fourth going into Sunday’s match with 49 points, occupy a shaky position with embattled reigning league champions, Manchester City, still managing to tag along after being held to 2-2 draw at home by visiting Brighton on Saturday.
The last Premier League version of the London rivalry, saw the clubs play out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, in November. Gabriel Martinelli scored the lone goal for the Gunners in the 60th minute. Pedro Neto scored for the Blues in the 70th minute.
Arsenal have got the better of Chelsea of late, unbeaten in the last six Premier League matches between them. Chelsea are looking for their first league win in encounters between the two sides since August 2021. The Gunners during that period have outscored the Blues with 16 goals for and six against.
Kai Havertz has been impressive in Arsenal this season, with nine goals to his credit. Cole Palmer on the other hand, has been the most prolific player for Chelsea, scoring on 14 occasions.
On the home soil this season, Arsenal have eight wins, four draws, and one loss in 13 Premier League contests. Chelsea have six wins, three draws, and five losses away from Stamford Bridge this season in league matches. The Blues currently find themselves on a six-match away winless streak. They haven’t won in a Premier League away game since December 2024 against Tottenham Hotspur.
In their last six league matches, Arsenal have won three, drawn two and lost one. Chelsea, meanwhile, have won three and lost three in their last six.
A clash between Arsenal and Chelsea any day and in any competition is a big deal and fans of both teams know there is no time to blink. Today will not be different. The points are vital this time even as Liverpool continue their run away effort at the top.
Liverpool now need just 16 more points to clinch the Premier League title and could be champions as early as April 12.
Meanwhile, if the Gunners think it is going to be business as usual in today’s encounter against Chelsea, they have been told to be ready to see another thing coming. Moises Caicedo has hinted that the Blues are ready to put in everything into the clash.
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The £115 million midfield enforcer told anyone who cares to listen that he will personally put in everything in the battle against the Gunners, despite being one yellow card from a costly suspension.
Caicedo’s next caution will be his 10th of the Premier League campaign and so will earn him a two-game ban. After Sunday, Chelsea’s next clashes will be another two London derbies with Tottenham and Brentford – outings which could make or break the Blues’ season in their search for Champions League football.
Yet as they travel to the Emirates Stadium, Caicedo insists Chelsea can still finish above their opponents this season, and that they are prepared to ‘fight’ to reduce the gap to only three points.
‘It’s possible for sure, that’s what we want,’ Caicedo said of Chelsea catching and overtaking Arsenal before this campaign’s end. ‘We are working hard for that. It’s going to be a tough game but we are ready because we want to play in the Champions League.
‘We know how they play, we know the players they have, but we’re going to do our best. We want to show our best football over there and we are ready for the battle.’
On whether he will think twice before throwing himself into tackles, given the 10th-caution tightrope on which he is walking, Caicedo said: ‘I know I have too many yellow cards but it doesn’t matter, in the middle you always have to fight. I’m going to fight for my team and for the badge. Caicedo started in last season’s 5-0 loss for Chelsea at Arsenal.
In other matches lined up for Sunday, Fulham welcome Tottenham, while relegation hunted Leicester City, host Manchester United at the King Power Stadium.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
