Arsenal will entertain Chelsea at the Emirates on Boxing Day and it could end up being one of the more intriguing London derbies of recent times as the struggling North London side square off against their South West London rival who is continuously looking to prove their top-four credentials.
The fixture also sees two of the most talked-about managers in the Premier League lock horns as both of them, this early in their managerial careers will feel they have something to prove every time their teams take to the pitch.
Arteta got a top job after spending three years by Pep Guardiola’s side at Manchester City while Lampard toiled in the Championship with Derby County and only fell short of getting them promoted via the playoffs before Chelsea snapped him up.
Both are former players for the sides they now manage and while it might not have been easier for Arteta, the same cannot be said for Frank Lampard whose first season was more like a bonus as he had nothing to lose due to a transfer ban.
Arteta, meanwhile, managed an FA Cup win in 2020 after joining Arsenal halfway through the 2019/20 season, beating Lampard’s Chelsea in the final.
Both sides have a lot to prove with this derby but it’s the Spaniard who has the most daunting task as he tries to get the gunners firing once again.
Team News
Arsenal’s captain Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has yet to recover from a calf injury and won’t play a part in the London derby on Boxing day.
Thomas Partey also remains a doubt with a thigh problem, but Granit Xhaka is back from suspension and Gabriel Martinelli should have recovered from a knock picked up against Man City.
Chelsea have issues at full-back with Chilwell and Reece James both carrying knocks, while Ziyech will also miss out.
Stats and facts heading into the match (Backed by Opta)
- Arsenal lost this exact fixture 1-2 last season, despite being 1-0 ahead until the 83rd minute. They’ve not lost back-to-back home league games against Chelsea since November 2009.
- Chelsea have lost just two of their last 17 Premier League meetings with Arsenal (W9 D6), with both of those defeats coming at the Emirates (0-3 in September 2016, 0-2 in January 2019).
- The side scoring first won none of the three meetings in all competitions between Arsenal and Chelsea last season (D1 L2), with Arsenal coming from behind to win the FA Cup final in the most recent encounter.
- Arsenal haven’t lost any of their last 12 Boxing Day home games (W10 D2) since a 0-2 loss against Nottingham Forest in 1987. The Gunners have won each of their last nine such games in the Premier League, including a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in 2001.
- Chelsea lost 0-2 against Southampton on Boxing Day last season, ending a run of 14 games without defeat on 26th December (W9 D5). The Blues haven’t lost consecutive Boxing Day matches since 1994/1995.
- Arsenal are winless in their last seven Premier League games (D2 L5) – only once in the competition’s history have they had a longer run without a win, going eight games between November 1992-January 1993.
Prediction
It’s almost criminal to think Arsenal can get anything out of this match but then this is football and by its standards ‘anything can happen’.
Verdict: Arsenal 0-3 Chelsea
Interesting