Chelsea vs. Arsenal Preview: Heavyweights Clash in London Derby

This Sunday will provide us with a rare phenomenon: A Premier League match in which the two biggest names will be on the sidelines, as Arsene Wenger and Arsenal prepare to make the trip to Stamford Bridge where Jose Mourinho and Chelsea await. Even if this was not simply a match featuring the two biggest managerial names in the Premier League, the slow-burning rivalry between Wenger, the stoic professor, and Mourinho, the antagonistic gadfly, continues to escalate. While there was certainly no love lost between the two after Mourinho’s first Premier League stint, his return and his infamous “specialist in failure” comment (prepare to hear those words a lot in the coming days) has escalated this already massive rivalry.

For all the focus on the men on the sidelines, 22 men will actually still play the match, shockingly enough. First, let us turn our view to the hosts in blue. There is no need to mince words here: Chelsea has been the best club in the Premier League so far. This is not a debate, and this is not necessarily an insult to any other club, but the additions of Andre Schurrle, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have transformed this team and have given them an ostensible leg up on their competition.

Costa, leading the league with eight goals, has deservedly received the most attention of the three. There is concern here, though: Costa has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and Sunday will be his third match in eight days. Mourinho even admitted that his star striker needs two full weeks of rest to fully recover. Luckily for Chelsea, they are facing an Arsenal squad to whom defense seems but an afterthought. Even an injured Costa should have no problem toying with Arsenal’s back line. If he should find his hamstring to be a problem, he is far from Chelsea’s only option at striker. He could easily be replaced with Didier Drogba or Loic Remy and the Blues would barely notice a difference.

Arsenal is not without hope though. Coming off an inspired thrashing of Galatasary in the Champion’s League, the Gunners look as good as they have in what feels like months. Danny Welbeck became the youngest English player to record a hat-trick in the Champions League in that match, and he seems to be settling into his place in London quite well. Arsenal’s other big summer addition, Alexis Sanchez, has also added a spark to Arsenal’s attack, which was languid at best last year, and apathetic and impotent at its worst. Make no mistake, Sunday’s match is going to be a brutal shootout, with potential for a score reminiscent of a hockey game, and Arsenal will need Welbeck and Sanchez to excel, especially with Aaron Ramsey unavailable. They will also need Olivier Giroud, should he get the start, to earn his lucrative new contract.

Wenger and Mourinho may get the most press as we count down the hours until Sunday, but their mind games with each other will have little effect on how the match turns out. As soon as the whistle is blown on Sunday, everything leading up to the match will be in the past, the only thing that will matter then will be one ball, 22 men, 44 feet and the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Score prediction: Chelsea 4 Arsenal 1

Predicted XI’s:

Chelsea