Chelsea v Arsenal preview
Mikel Arteta has effusively praised Mikel Merino’s worth as a quantity 9 because the Arsenal head coach plots a victory at Chelsea on Sunday that will transfer the leaders a minimum of seven factors clear within the Premier League.
Amid a string of attacking accidents, midfielder Merino has thrived as a ahead once more in 2025/26, performing as targetman in Arsenal’s 3-1 Champions League residence win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday and scoring twice within the 3-0 victory at Slavia Prague on November 4.
“He may have scored two targets the opposite evening,” Arteta stated of the Spain international. “He was concerned in lots of optimistic actions and his work charge was unbelievable.
“He brings different issues to the desk: his intelligence, the best way he competes, the best way he masters a variety of the issues which can be essential for us.”
Chelsea collected one in all their finest outcomes since Enzo Maresca’s appointment in June 2024 by beating Barcelona 3-0 at residence on Tuesday, together with targets by 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap, netting his first profession objective within the Champions League.
“It’s all the time good to share that sort of second on the finish of the sport with everybody,” Maresca stated of the celebrations, describing the prospect of stopping Arsenal as “good” and “a distinct problem”.
“We have to plan in opposition to Arsenal differently. Arsenal can rating in opposition to any workforce from set-pieces – in opposition to Bayern Munich, they scored their first from a nook.
“They’ve a system that works very effectively and we’re going to attempt to defend in one of the best ways. It’s very early and it’s vital to be the place we at the moment are in March, April.”
Chelsea v Arsenal workforce information
Viktor Gyokeres (hamstring) and Kai Havertz (knee) are “very, very shut” to returning for Arsenal, Arteta stated, however fellow ahead Leandro Trossard is a doubt after coming off in opposition to Bayern.
Striker Gabriel Jesus is again in coaching however might not but be in rivalry after 11 months out with a knee harm and centre-back Gabriel stays out with a thigh subject sustained whereas enjoying for Brazil in a pleasant in opposition to Senegal on the Emirates Stadium.
Full-back Riccardo Calafiori missed each of Italy’s video games in the course of the worldwide break with a hip drawback however got here off the bench in opposition to Bayern, whereas Arteta instructed that Piero Hincapie – a full debutant at centre-back within the 4-1 residence win over Tottenham on Sunday – may play at left-back.
Playmaker Cole Palmer may begin for Chelsea, having been sidelined since September with groin and toe accidents.
Midfielder Romeo Lavia is out and defender Levi Colwill and midfielder Dario Essugo have long-term accidents.
Chelsea v Arsenal predicted lineups
Chelsea beginning XI: Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Estevao, Reece James, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto
Arsenal beginning XI: David Raya, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyokeres
watch Chelsea v Arsenal: TV channel, on-line dwell stream
Kick-off on Sunday is at 16:30 GMT (11:30 ET / 08:30 PT), with dwell protection within the UK on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion, Sky Sports activities Premier League and Sky Sports activities Extremely.
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