Prediction

Arsenal vs. Chelsea

Monday, December 23 2013, 21:00 CET

This edition of the Premier League all but shows the naysayers that the race for the title gets even more interesting with each matchday. Now we’re going to present you the match of the day and week chosen by our team that is Arsenal vs. Chelsea.

On Monday Arsenal needs to buckle up in order to win, and thus deny Chelsea the possibility to climb up the first spot they managed to retain up until now. The way we see it is that Arsenal is the team that needs to prove something and that is if they have what it takes to be the Champions they claim to be in front of such big opponents as Chelsea, and why not stake a claim on the first place and push off at least Liverpool.

John Terry was specifically rested in the Carling Cup match the Blues had during the week, and David Luiz is also expected to start, while bookies tip Ashley Cole to find a way into the starting eleven for this big match. All in all, the bookmakers are expecting a pretty tight race on Monday where the most tipped result is a draw, and where a single goal could make all the difference.

Arsenal has slightly less than 50% chance to win this match, while Chelsea is backed up with over 30% to do so. After the trashing the Gunners got from Man City, they will try to make it up to the fans at any cost, and hopefully Arsene Wenger will stop with his really odd squad rotation technique for this match.

Nacho Monreal should play, he can provide the dept Arsenal needs in Koscielny’s absence, plus there would be no need to keep the pressure on Olivier Giroud alone. And if loyalty is what Arsenal needs in order to win, then for sure Bacary Sagna will have to play the entire game, after all he never left for City even after intense courting and big sums of money thrown his way.

Arsenal: Team’s Formation