Chelsea score predictions at Arsenal: A Boxing Day London Derby

Chelsea heads up north to take on Arsenal at the Emirates on Boxing Day. Here’s how The Pride of London staff sees the Blues doing in the derby.

What looked like a juicy contest on Boxing Day between two wildly successful London sides injected with a plethora of talented new players now looks like nothing but a match between two close foes. Chelsea is looking to continue its winning ways and rise to the top of the table in this bout. Meanwhile, Arsenal is attempting to avoid what seemed impossible a few months ago: relegation.

Frank Lampard versus Mikel Arteta has become a small scale rivalry considering both managers took the reins of their respective clubs last season. However, at this point in time, it seems as if the former will be employed much longer in his current post. This could be the final nail in Arteta’s coaching coffin, but only if the Blues snatch a victory.

Here’s how The Pride of London staff sees this game playing out:

Kevin Peacock: 0-2 Chelsea

Arsenal may well think it can win this game despite its shocking form. However, Lampard will be after some kind of reaction from his players with the Gunners gaining the upper hand over recent meetings. Chelsea stuttered to a win against West Ham, but that victory and clean sheet will have restored some confidence after two defeats. A negative for the Blues has been their form against any of the so-called top six teams under Lampard. It’s been poor, but that hex has to be broken and Arsenal, so often the whipping boys with Didier Drogba or Diego Costa up front, need to be bullied into submission. Tammy Abraham and Mateo Kovacic seal the deal with both goals.

Matt Hancock-Bruce: 1-3 Chelsea

The only Christmas miracle on the cards here is Arsenal picking up points, but that would be too farfetched. Expect a confident victory for the Blues and possibly a late Christmas present in the form Arteta getting the boot.

Mike Malley: 0-2 Chelsea

Lads, it’s Arsenal. The Gunners have somehow found themselves in the midst of a relegation battle, so this should be a relatively easy three points for the Blues. Arsenal’s attack has been absolutely dismal in recent weeks, which will hopefully put less pressure on a Chelsea defense that has been hit hard by injuries. The team also looked great after Kovacic came on against West Ham on Monday, so the Croatian playmaker is sure to be in the starting XI. London will be blue after 90’.

Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 0-3 Chelsea

Chelsea fans are apprehensive ahead of this match, not because of how good Arsenal is, but because of how bad. “Form goes out the window in a derby” is the term a team that is out of form uses to console itself. The Blues are playing better at the moment, and as long as they don’t get complacent, they should have enough about them to see off their London rivals. Many (silly) comparisons are being drawn between Lampard and Arteta, the latter has already beat the former in a cup final, so Lampard has an axe to grind.

Nate Hofmann: 1-2 Chelsea

As awful as Arsenal has been—and the Gunners have been unspeakably awful—it would be dumb to think this could be anything other than a tight, contentious affair. At the risk of beating the cliche to death, you can throw the form book out the window here. Fortunately, Arsenal lacks the depth and talent to cope with Chelsea’s skill and its own busy fixture schedule. An easy win made stressful by a late consolation goal.

Joel Kristian Frederick Burton: 0-3 Chelsea

Usually I would subscribe to the usual tropes around London derbies. However, those go out the window with the recent displays Arsenal has been putting in. Even without a few of our players that give us that important width to our 4-3-3, there is more than enough quality to comfortably see the game out and I think Timo Werner in particular will look at this as a great opportunity to get on the scoresheet.

Michael DeVito: 1-2 Chelsea

This is a trap game. A squad in decent form vs. one in poor—don’t be fooled. This will be a tough game, but Olivier Giroud will win it.

Barrett Rouen: 1-4 Chelsea

Best guys win.

Olly Smith: 1-3 Chelsea

This Arsenal team has a whole host of issues, whereas this Chelsea team has slightly fewer of them. Whichever way you cut it, the Blues are just better than their London rivals at the best of times and at the worst of times. Set pieces will prove to be the difference for the Blues with all three goals coming from a dead ball situation.

Gabe Henderson: 1-3 Chelsea

This game is usually tight, but there is always a London Derby that is incredibly lob-sided. Take Antonio Conte’s season-changing beating at the Gunners’ hands many years ago, for example. This will be one of those contests. The Blues are significantly better than the Gunners. It’ll be nervy with key players missing on both sides, but a comfortable win for the west Londoners in the end as quality and form prevail.

Hridyam Arora: 0-3 Chelsea

Expect a great performance from The Blues, with Mr. Pulisic scoring one and assisting another. It’s going to be a dominant display from Chelsea. Wouldn’t put my money on a struggling Arsenal team.

Travis Tyler: 0-1 Chelsea

Arsenal may be an awful attacking team but they are pretty alright at defending. The Blues need the distance and a set piece to get over the line, but it is hardly for lack of trying.

Varun Dani: 0-3 Chelsea

Arsenal haven’t won a league game in nearly two months, have been lackluster in every match and are amidst a turmoil. Normally that would be all the ingredients for Chelsea becoming Santa and gifting the opponent a morale-boosting winning. But without Partey and Aubameyang, Arsenal don’t have the warrior spirit needed to turn the tide. They have a very Chelsea 15-16 feel to them; when expected to turn up the most, they won’t. Werner, Pulisic and Abraham send the Blues home happy.

Scott Brant: 1-2 Chelsea

Arsenal have been horrible. Which means I’m worried they break out in this derby. But I could never pick them to win over the Blues. So here’s to a outstanding Xmas present from the Blues. Abraham to continue scoring.

Abhishek Pancholi: 1-3 Chelsea

The self-proclaimed defenders of morality and financial propriety fell off their high horse when they fired 55 staff and a beloved mascot to free up wages for Willian and Thomas Partey. It hasn’t quite been a party for them from there on, with the team struggling to avoid getting sucked into a relegation battle and Mikel Arteta struggling to recall the lessons he learned under Pep Guardiola. That doesn’t mean Chelsea should take their threat lightly. Like any other “big” club unable or unwilling to accept their place in the new order, Arsenal will come at Chelsea with everything they’ve got. Which isn’t a lot, but still. Having kept a disinterested Aubameyang at arm’s length and a fired up Willian chasing the ball, Chelsea will hit back with a lighting counter, taking the lead. The pattern would repeat until Chelsea are three goals up. A last gasp goal conceded due to sheer complacency would spoil the clean sheet for Chelsea, and give Arsenal further incentive to trust the process.

What are your score predictions for the game? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!