Arsenal vs. Chelsea Preview
Where: Emirates Stadium – London, England
When: Saturday, September 24, 12:30 PM ET
Line: Arsenal +124 vs. Chelsea +184; tie +220; total 2.5 – view all EPL soccer lines
TV Broadcast: NBCSN
Writer’s Pick: Chelsea (+184)
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Betting on Arsenal (+124)
Arsenal are on a role in the Premier League. After taking just one point in their first two games against Liverpool and Leicester, they have now won three games on the bounce against Watford, Southampton and Hull and have risen to fourth in the table.
Manager Arsene Wenger has used Alexis Sanchez as more of a false nine in the past few games, and the Chilean has been effective in that new role. His speed and movement could be even more effective against a Chelsea defense that is susceptible to some calamitous errors. (Looking at you, David Luiz.)
Wenger also won’t be short of weapons on the bench with Olivier Giroud and new signing Lucas Perez, who scored twice in Arsenal’s 4-0 EFL Cup win over Nottingham Forest.
The Gunners have often been overrun in midfield in these marquee matchups, but those days could finally be a thing of the past. Wenger now has a handful of capable midfielders to choose from, including new signing Granit Xhaka. The Swiss is known for his hard tackling and terrific passing range, but has also scored two spectacular long-range goals in his last two games.
Betting on Chelsea (+184)
Chelsea have hit a bit of a speed bump after a fast start to the season. The Blues drew 2-2 away at Swansea, and lost at home to Liverpool in their last two league outings. They currently find themselves in fifth at 3-1-1, just behind Arsenal on goal difference.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte was unusually cautious against Liverpool, a gross miscalculation on his part. But as he showed with Italy during last summer’s Euros, Conte is one of the best tactical managers around, and doesn’t get things wrong too often. Look for him to learn from his mistakes and make some necessary adjustments to his tactics ahead of their visit to Arsenal.
Conte is new to Chelsea, but it seems that the Blues beat Arsenal whoever their boss is. Since 2012, Chelsea has gone 7-3-1 against the Gunners in all competitions, and that one loss came in the Community Shield. Chelsea have also kept six consecutive clean sheets against the Gunners in the league.
Diego Costa has been a huge thorn in Arsenal’s side, with three goals (and a few cards drawn) in his last four games against them. The bad news for the Gunners is that he’ll enter this first matchup of the season in excellent form. Costa’s currently tied for the league lead with five goals.
Writer’s Prediction
It’s just tough to trust Wenger getting his tactics right, especially against a superior tactical manager like Conte. So take Chelsea (+184) to extend their dominance over the Gunners with a 2-1 away win.
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