Football clubs often have a rivalry going on against each other. La Liga club Real Madrid has a long ongoing rivalry with FC Barcelona, whereas Manchester City are also in a feud with their neighbor Manchester United. Arsenal is no exception. The Gunners are in constant conflict with Chelsea.
The two are counted among the best clubs in Europe, and they will soon be facing each other in the Premier League. Though the encounter will surely be interesting, it might not be what the fans are expecting as both clubs are going through an injury stint.
Chelsea vs Arsenal injury report
Chelsea’s squad is not at its peak, as many of the club’s key players have been sidelined due to injuries. Center-back Wesley Fofana has undergone an ACL surgery, ruling him out for the 2023–24 season. English defender Reece James will also not be seen on the pitch, as the 23-year-old sustained a hamstring injury on August 13 in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. Others, like Romeo Lavia, Armando Broja, Carney Chukwuemeka, Benoit Badiashille, Ben Chilwell, and new signing Christopher Nkunku, will also remain on the bench.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is in better condition as compared to the Blues. The Gunners have three injured players. Jurrien Timber will miss out on the London Derby due to a knee injury. Arsenal’s key winger, Bukayo Saka, will also remain on the sidelines as the English international sustained a muscle injury on October 4 in a Champions League group stage match against Lens. Another player, namely Leandro Trossard, will not be seen on the pitch as the Belgian is recovering from a hamstring injury.
London derby H2H, prediction
There is no doubt that both Arsenal and Chelsea are great clubs, but the Blues’ performance this season has been a little underwhelming. They currently hold the 12th position on the league table with only 11 points to their name. Arsenal, on the other hand, is doing well; the Gunners are way above Chelsea, sitting in the 4th position with 20 points in their bag.
In their last 38 encounters, Arsenal have won 14 and faced defeat 15 times. The remaining nine matches were all drawn. Though Chelsea have won more matches, they may not turn out to be the better side this time. The Blues have several players on the bench, and their overall performance this season has not been very impressive.
The match will surely be one to watch, and it will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta and Mauricio Pochettino overcome their players’ injury problems.
