Arsenal vs Chelsea: London derby showdown with top-four stakes on the line | OneFootball

Arsenal hosts Chelsea in the biggest match of Premier League round 29. The Gunners, who sit second in the league, are chasing leaders Liverpool. Meanwhile, Chelsea enters the game week in fourth place. The home side won this fixture 5-0 last year.

The London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea has always been a fierce battle. In recent years, the advantage has been with the Gunners, as Chelsea has not won this fixture since 2021, a match that took place at the Emirates.

The reverse fixture between the two ended in a 1-1 draw. Gabriel Martinelli put the visitors ahead in the 60th minute before Pedro Neto equalized for the Blues ten minutes later. That result should give Chelsea some hope ahead of Sunday’s game. However, much has changed for both teams since then.

Mikel Arteta will be without Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka on Sunday. The duo started the match at Stamford Bridge last November. Gabriel Jesus, who came off the bench in that game, is also sidelined. Meanwhile, in the Chelsea ranks, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke will be unavailable. Players like Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana have only recently returned from injury for the Blues.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Robert Sánchez will start in goal. It is news Arsenal will welcome, as the Spaniard’s poor positioning allowed Martinelli to score at the near post the last time they faced each other. Even in the match at Stamford Bridge last season, Arsenal’s comeback was made possible after Sánchez gifted a goal to Declan Rice. It is baffling how he is back in the starting XI despite being dropped for poor performances.

On a positive note for Chelsea, Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana are fit and should be available to start at the Emirates. Having played just 45 minutes in the second leg of the UEFA Conference League, players like Enzo Fernández, Cole Palmer, and Marc Cucurella should be ready to go the full 90 minutes on Sunday.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea have made it to the quarterfinals of their respective European competitions. The Gunners drew 2-2 against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, though their dominant 7-1 win in the Netherlands the previous week had all but secured their place in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League.

Meanwhile, Chelsea defeated Copenhagen to book their quarterfinal spot in the UEFA Conference League, overcoming their opponents 3-1 on aggregate. The effects of the midweek fixtures will play a role on Sunday, with Chelsea having had a day less to rest compared to their hosts, as they played on Thursday.

The fixture is the last before the first international break of the year. A loss could see Chelsea drop out of the top four. Even if finishing inside the top five might be enough for a Champions League spot next season, several teams are competing for that place in the Premier League. With big matches ahead, a defeat on Sunday would be a major setback for Chelsea’s Champions League ambitions.

Meanwhile, for Arsenal, the first Premier League title in over 20 years is almost beyond their reach. At the moment, their top-four spot is secure, as they lead Nottingham Forest in third by four points. However, they will be eager to extend their strong recent record against their London rivals.