Andy Schooler previews Sunday’s big Premier League clash between champions Arsenal and young pretenders Chelsea.
Arsenal v Chelsea
Date/Time: Sunday September 6, 1630 BST
TV: Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event
The big game of the weekend has the potential to set the tone for the season.
Are Chelsea about to shake up the established order or is it too early to place their name in the same sentence as Arsenal, Manchester City and Premier League title?
The early performances under Xabi Alonso have certainly offered Chelsea fans encouragement for the future. They look full of goals with the much-lauded front three offering plenty of threat, even though the Blues haven’t had a great deal of the ball across their opening two league games.
The issues have been at the other end where five goals have already been conceded and there looks to be something of a balance issue at present.
Arsenal’s extra quality (when compared to Brighton and Fulham) suggests they should be able to capitalise if Chelsea play in a similar way – and Alonso isn’t one for backing down and not having a go.
The Gunners (1.61 for victory) are yet to concede and are already laying out a familiar stall as they look to defend their crown.
However, after games against newly promoted Coventry and a hollowed-out Aston Villa, it’s also fair to say that the level rises for them too here.
The Chelsea (4.33) attack should certainly cause more problems than toothless Coventry and a Villa side who are yet to register a shot on target this season. This is game where the injured William Saliba and Jurrien Timber could be missed. Christian Mosquera is also a doubt so Ezri Konsa could make his full debut.
Other Arsenal selections could well be made with the midweek trip to Napoli in mind – one of their tougher Champions League assignments. That’s not something Chelsea have to worry about.
Chelsea are set to be without Moises Caicedo due to injury and they continue to look a little light in midfield with Enzo Fernandez now departed.
That’s an area I can see the hosts taking control of and that could well give them the platform for victory given how leaky the Chelsea backline has been.
In betting terms, Arsenal to win and both teams to score has potential and, if you can particularly keen on the Gunners, this could be for you.
However, I’m not ruling out the upset here. Few teams score multiple goals against Arsenal but I do feel this Chelsea one has the potential to do that.
With that in mind, my preference is to back over 2.5 goals and both teams to score at 1.92.
In terms of the player markets, Cole Palmer at 3.3 for a goal looks tempting given the way he’s started the new campaign.
However, there’s an angle I want to pursue that offers bigger rewards.
Alonso’s preferred system of playing to ‘number 10s’ means his team’s width has to come from the wing-backs and I see those players getting plenty of assists this season.
That was certainly the case in Alonso’s famous Bayer Leverkusen side of 2023/24 which lost just one game all season – wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong assisted 32 times between them in that campaign.
Last week we saw Jorrel Hato operating down the left for Chelsea and he delivered an assist in that contest, thanks to one of several raiding runs.
Down the other side, Pedro Neto is a more natural attacker which means his price is going to be lower in the forward-related markets but he’s a player who is almost certain to produce offensive output.
With Chelsea happy to let other sides have possession, I’m sure they’ll look to break at pace when they have the chances and those wing-backs will be key to any such attacks.
Let’s back both men for an assist, albeit I’d suggest keeping stakes fairly low.
Super Sunday best bets: Arsenal v Chelsea
Over 2.5 goals & BTTS @ 1.92 with kwiff
Hato 1+ assist @ 7.82 with kwiff
Neto 1+ assist @ 6.11 with kwiff
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