Chelsea have seemed to turn the corner around by registering back-to-back Premier League victories against Fulham and Burnley away from home.
Follow Us
The game of the Premier League weekend will be at Stamford Bridge when Arsenal visit Chelsea for a mouth-watering tie. This match has massive significance for various reasons. The Gunners have made an incredible start to the season and are looking like genuine title contenders. The same cannot be said for the Blues who have made a disappointing start to the campaign despite spending a huge amount of money in the transfer window.
However, Chelsea have seemed to turn the corner around by registering back-to-back Premier League victories against Fulham and Burnley away from home. Former England international Paul Merson has weighed in on the contest, as he feels this will be a great opportunity for both sides. “Chelsea had a great result against Burnley last time out, but they now have some unbelievably tough fixtures coming up. If they can get through them and get enough points in those games, then you would have to say they are going to be a threat and they have a chance,” he told Sky Sports.
He added: “But they have not done it against the ‘lesser’ teams. I have said all along that I think Chelsea will be a better team away from home this season, as they have the pace on the break and teams have to come out. But when teams come and sit 10 men behind the ball, they struggle badly as they do not have the guile to break them down. Arsenal come to Stamford Bridge this weekend and they will have a go at Chelsea, so it will be interesting.”
Merson believes that Chelsea are capable of beating any team on a given day, making them a dangerous side to watch out for. “But against the better teams, like Liverpool who had a right go, those are the games Chelsea have played well in this season. With where Chelsea are in the league, teams will not want to play them because on their day, they can beat anybody and when Raheem Sterling is playing like he did at Burnley, then he is unplayable. Mauricio Pochettino’s side can kick-start their season with a win, but this is also a big game for Arsenal. This can be another marker laid down for them. If they win this game, I’m looking at Arsenal as major, major players,” he said.
However, the only concern for both sides is that this match will happen right after the international break. Hence, it is unclear how fit the returning players will be for both teams. “It’s a London derby, a huge game with big players on both sides. However, it comes at a difficult time after the international break. The managers won’t have long to work with the players before it is game time. They’ll also be sweating on who comes back fit after the break, especially with the travel some of the players have to do,” he stated.
He added: “In some ways, it is a shame this game comes at this point, and it is why this league is so difficult. Many of the players will get back on Tuesday, have a recovery session and then just have Thursday and Friday to prepare for such a huge game. It will come down to who can adapt better and get up to speed quickly after they return to their clubs. One advantage Chelsea will have is that we virtually know what the Arsenal team is going to be. On the other hand, we have no idea what the Chelsea team will be.”
More Football Stories:
David Raya to Arsenal: Why did the Spaniard choose to join the Gunners on loan?
Andre Onana to Manchester United: What is the new goalkeeper’s jersey number for 2023-24 season?
Premier League: Which players have scored the most goals in a single season?
EPL stats: Which clubs have conceded the most last-minute winners in Premier League?
EPL stats: Which clubs have scored the most number of last-minute winners in Premier League?
How long will Kevin De Bruyne be out injured? Pep Guardiola responds
