Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six matches against Chelsea, with the Gunners smashing five past the Blues at Emirates Stadium last season.
Under Enzo Maresca, though, Chelsea have no doubt improved as a team and are challenging for a Champions League spot this campaign. While many still believe Arsenal should win comfortably this weekend, Mikel Arteta is expecting a tough match.
“Well I think it's going to be a very different game and I think the way they develop as a team as well is very impressive,” the Spaniard told reporters on Friday. “What Enzo has done and the coaching staff, the amount of talent that they have in the squad. So yeah, a really tough match but we are our best as well, a big chance for us to win the game.”
If the Gunners are to win in north London on Sunday, they will have to do so without Bukayo Saka. The Hale Ender has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in December but could return after the international break.
“No, he's getting closer, he's stepping up and making a very good progress I would say,” Arteta admitted. “So, let's see when we start to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.”
Another player who Arteta will be unable to call upon is Raheem Sterling. The 30-year-old put in a man of the match performance against PSV in midweek but is ineligible this weekend due to being on loan from Chelsea.
Asked if it would have been better for Sterling to carry on the momentum from Wednesday’s performance, Arteta said: “I think so but it's what it is, we knew about it. He played, he played well, he was contributing to the attacking goals that we scored as well. So very good, that's what we needed. Players in good form, in good spirit, good confidence and certainly that performance is going to help him.”
That means Arsenal continue to be light in the attacking department. Gabriel Jesus is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, while Kai Havertz will not return until pre-season after undergoing surgery on his hamstring. Takehiro Tomiyasu is another in the treatment room as he, too, underwent knee surgery which means he won’t be back playing until the 2025/26 season.
That means, when looking at the official Arsenal website, the Gunners have 17 senior players available for selection for the game vs Chelsea. As per Premier League rules, a club is allowed to name a squad of 20 players for a Premier League match.
Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, who are classed as Arsenal Academy players on the Gunners official website, will be included in the squad as normal. Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, who has made the match day squad a number of times this campaign, could also come in to offer an attacking threat off the bench if needed.
Possible Arsenal squad for Chelsea: Raya, Neto; Timber, White, Gabriel, Kiwior, Calafiori, Zinchenko, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly, Tierney; Rice, Jorginho, Partey, Merino, Odegaard, Nwaneri; Trossard, Martinelli, Butler-Oyedeji
Senior players unavailable for Chelsea: Tomiyasu (knee injury), Saka (hamstring injury), Jesus (knee injury), Havertz (hamstring injury), Sterling (ineligible)
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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