Arsenal vs Chelsea, Preview and Team News, Barclays Premier League 2014-15: Blues look to inch closer to crown

Arsenal's sterling run of form should not be ignored in a game that will see two of the best players in the league face-off.

Updated: April 25, 2015 7:51 AM IST

By R Vishal

Arsenal vs Chelsea, Preview and Team News, Barclays Premier League 2014-15: Blues look to inch closer to crown

fight

It’s Derby day in London and this time, with the title in sight for the Blues. Since week one, Jose Mourinho’s side has displayed a desire, commitment and importantly, a nucleus of a side packed with individuals ready to take the team to the gaffer’s promised land. Chelsea’s mercurial coach had promised at the start of last season that come next season, he would shout from the rooftops as to how his side is the favourite for the title. 

Having come up narrowly short of the title last season, there was much riding on this season. Every second season of Mourinho in all of his previous clubs has seen him performing stunning feats. While Inter Milan and FC Porto pulled off Champions League wins, Chelsea and Real Madrid defended and won the league crown respectively.

The ‘derby’ factor has often gone out of the window in the meetings between these two teams over the years. Arsenal slipping down in the ladder had a part to play. With Mourinho’s second-coming, the intensity is right back to what it was all those years ago. One of the many subplots of this battle has been the simmering tension between Mourinho vs Arsene Wenger. Out of the ten meetings between the two, Wenger continues to search for his maiden win against his nemesis. Things got ugly during the earlier meeting between the two teams; a heated argument resulted in the Arsenal gaffer shoving the Portuguese.  The incident perhaps summed up how much the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ had got under the Frenchman’s skin.

There is more to this story and one of the topics that has grabbed so much of attention heading into the Emirates is the reception that Chelsea’s midfield maestro and former Arsenal skipper and fan favourite, Cesc Fabregas is going to get. There are a section of fans who booed him at Stamford Bridge and amongst the huge legion of Gunners fans all over the world, a sense of betrayal lingers.

Nonetheless, after wrapping up a Capital One (League Cup) Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the year, going one up against another London outfit beckons. This time, it would put Chelsea in sight of the title. Arsenal cannot be written off despite Mourinho’s lopsided record against Wenger. There is a first time for every little thing in this world and at home, buoyed by a partisan crowd who have seen a side cruising to victories over the last few months, can fancy their chances. Arsenal certainly will start with better strike-force than their opponents. Didier Drogba, despite being half-fit will start the game in all likelihood. Chelsea’s other option on the bench, as it was against their win against Manchester United, is 17-year-old Dominic Solanke.

With Drogba’s phenomenal record against Arsenal over the last decade, there is no writing off the Ivorian veteran. Mourinho’s gameplan is predictable. Arsenal are going to have a lion’s share of the possession. This game will come down do if and when Chelsea commit their first mistake at the back.

Probable LineUps:

Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Ospina; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud

Chelsea (4-3-3) Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas, Zouma; Oscar, Hazard, Drogba

Prediction: 0-0

Kick Off time: 08.30 IST

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