The starting XI Arsenal need to beat Chelsea

Today Arsenal will travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the Premier League. Table toppers Chelsea will be hoping to get back on form in the league, and a win for the moody Blues will surely knock Arsenal’s title challenge down and out. In terms of team news, not much is expected to change. Chelsea will be without Willian and Ramires after both were sent of against Villa last weekend, whilst Arsenal on the other hand, although they don’t have any returnees from injury, don’t have any more key players missing since the last game and so I’d expect them to line up like this:

Szczesny
Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs
Arteta Ox
Cazorla Rosicky Podolski
Giroud

With a lack in midfield now, we could see the same line up we did against Tottenham, with the only potential replacement for me being Flamini for Arteta. In fact I hope that Wenger does this because Chelsea will try to bully us. Rosicky could still miss the game and if so Ox will probably move up to the wing with Cazorla coming into the middle, however there shouldn’t be any major concern there. Kallstrom could also make the bench for a possible first appearance.

I think on paper it is going to be very close. Arsenal will be boosted from last week’s North London Derby victory, whilst although Chelsea lost at the weekend, a midweek win in the Champions League will have surely lifted their spirits once more. Arsene Wenger cannot stress more to the players, however, how important it is that they come away with at least a point if they are to keep up their Premier League title push. In my opinion there is only one stat that doesn’t make the fixture look particularly promising for Arsenal. In all his years, Arsene Wenger still hasn’t beaten Jose Mourinho. Let’s hope that ends today at the Bridge.