Chelsea face Arsenal in the first London derby of the season as the Blues travel to the Emirates Stadium. Both sides have made perfect starts to the Premier League campaign, winning their opening two games, with Arsenal boasting an imperious defence and Chelsea showing plenty of firepower in attack. Everything points towards an early-season thriller.
These are two teams expected to battle for the top of the Premier League throughout the season, with Sunday’s clash potentially offering an early glimpse of a rivalry that could be revisited when the title race reaches its decisive stages in April and May.
Arsenal have enjoyed an excellent record against Chelsea in recent years. The days of Didier Drogba delivering against the Gunners and John Terry dominating at the back may be gone, but the Blues will head into this new era under Xabi Alonso with renewed optimism.
With Reece James returning and a few doubts, here is our predicted Chelsea XI for Sunday’s main event.
Predicted Chelsea lineup vs Arsenal (3-4-2-1)
GK - Emi Martinez
Now the number one following Robert Sánchez’s departure, with the Argentine shot-stopper set to be the main Premier League goalkeeper and Mike Penders providing back-up. He conceded three goals on his debut and will be hoping for a much-improved performance here.
RWB - Malo Gusto
Gusto needs to return to the familiarity of the RWB role, where he can provide greater defensive structure and responsibility down that side. He is likely to come up against Eberechi Eze or Christian Tzolis, both of whom can pose a threat when cutting inside.
CB - Wesley Fofana
This position could go to either Fofana or Josh Acheampong, but I’ve opted for the more experienced candidate. He’ll hopefully be able to nullify the threat of the left winger and Riccardo Calafiori throughout the game.
CB - Maxence Lacroix
Expect Lacroix to be the central figure in dealing with Kai Havertz’s goal threat, particularly if Chelsea drop deeper than usual to prevent Arsenal from exploiting the wide areas.
CB - Levi Colwill
Will need to improve on his performances in the first two games, with the majority of the goals conceded coming down the left side he is responsible for defending. With Arsenal’s best player operating on their right, a significant improvement will be needed.
LWB - Jorrel Hato
While Palestra is unavailable, Hato provides a strong alternative on the left side. His attacking potential was evident when he drove forward on the counter to set up João Pedro against Brighton. However, he still has plenty to learn in the position.
DM - Reece James
Mr. Dependable. First name on the team sheet.
DM - Romeo Lavia
The player set to benefit most from Enzo Fernández’s departure, with Romeo Lavia now looking to establish himself in the first team. With doubts over Moisés Caicedo, the Belgian youngster could be called upon to step up.
AM - Cole Palmer
Having scored in each of his last two games, he’ll be hoping to carry that form into Chelsea’s biggest game of the season and make the difference when it matters most.
AM - Morgan Rogers
It will be interesting to see what kind of reception he receives from the home crowd after seemingly rejecting a move there in the summer. It would be fitting to see him silence the stadium by scoring the winner.
ST - Joao Pedro
Another one who has scored two in two and will be looking to stretch the likely partnership of Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhães. The Brazilian will want to add to his goal tally, with a goal proving decisive in a tight affair.
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