Arsenal might be starting to fade. The Gunners are well off the pace of the top four teams in England at the moment, sitting six points behind Chelsea coming into their London Derby with the Blues. They are now tied with Manchester United on 41 points, and they can ill afford a loss here if there intentions are to return to the Champions League next year. Conversely, Chelsea would love to put a dagger in the heart of one of their rivals and send them to the Europa League for the third straight year.
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English Premier League Betting at BookMaker.eu
Arsenal +188
Chelsea +130
Draw +260
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
Odds Analysis
The Gunners have not played well over the last month. Arsenal had a 22-match unbeaten streak in all competitions in mid-December, and they rode that to a place in the standings just behind Chelsea. However, they could not crack into the top four, and they are now well off the pace. In the last month, they have lost to Southampton, Liverpool, and West Ham, and they could only muster a draw against Brighton. That has mean just seven points from Arsenal’s last six matches.
Chelsea have performed better than their opponents, but their form has taken a bit of a dive in recent weeks too. The Blues were sky high after becoming the first team to defeat Manchester City, yet they have lost to Leicester City and drawn against Southampton at home in the last few weeks. However, Harry Kane’s injury Son Heung-min’s absence has opened the door for Chelsea to catch Tottenham and move up to third.
Key Injuries
There are three players set to miss the match for the side of Arsenal. Rob Holding is likely lost for the season and Danny Welbeck is probably out for a significant period of time due to injury. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also dealing with an injury issue, but he is expected to return in four weeks.
Marco van Ginkel continues to be sidelined for Chelsea, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek is expected to be an extended absence as well. Alvaro Morata is listed as probable with a tight hamstring, and he will look to go on Saturday.
Player to Watch
It’s happening again. Real Madrid are after Eden Hazard once more, and it’s unclear whether or not Chelsea can hold them off. Hazard has been the lifeblood of this offense, and he is essential to Maurizio Sarri’s system. He leads the team in both goals (10) and assists (10), because his talent has shined through in this offense. His incredible vision and runs have made him invaluable to the Chelsea effort.
Prop Bet of the Game – Over 3 Goals +105
When these two powerhouses met in the second matchday of the season, both offenses had a field day. Chelsea and Arsenal were both bombing up and down the pitch with abandon, and that made for a thrilling, high-scoring game. These sides combined for four goals by halftime, and by the final whistle there had been an incredibly 39 shots fired between the two sides.
These teams are led by their offense and their strategies predicate that. Sarri turns Hazard loose and pushes N’Golo Kante forward, while Unai Emery has embraced a more open form of football with so many injury concerns in the back.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The over is the best bet on the board in this one. Although Chelsea have a great goalkeeper in Kepa, they are likely to match the Arsenal attack stride for stride and push for push, so the over is likely to be in very good shape.
English Premier League Odds: Arsenal 2, Chelsea 2
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