Tonight Arsenal are travelling to Stamford Bridge for the first time in this Premier League under Maresca’s Chelsea. It promises to be a thrilling and mouth-watering fixture for the fans. Both teams are sitting near the top of the league table. For the first time, Arsenal will try to rebound back from last defeat against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.
But Maresca would roll the dice all in to take that top four spot for this moment by winning this London derby. Although Arsenal midfielder Rice missed the Champions League fixture against Inter Milan, he aims to return for the Chelsea match. His determination is evident, though the club will monitor his ability to handle the demands of the game.
Arsenal team news
Kai Havertz: Havertz would play in and be fully available for Arsenal against his former club Chelsea and this would bring some much-needed depth to Arsenal’s midfield as other injuries are already biting into them.
Mikel Merino: He has been ruled out for longer than expected after suffering a fracture to his shoulder in training. Initially projected to be out for about two months, Merino is not expected back until mid-October, so he will miss this match.
Gabriel Jesus: Jesus has been gradually reintegrating after a minor muscle injury and may be close to full fitness. If cleared, he could provide added depth and options in Arsenal’s forward line. Arteta’s cautious approach with Jesus underscores the importance of keeping him injury-free for the remainder of the season.
On the other hand, Gabriel Martinelli has lost his form. So, many fans might be thinking Trossard might start in his place because Raheem Sterling is not performing well enough.
The fitness problems will especially affect the respective lineups of the match, most of all the midfield as Arteta is cornered between continued employment with an injured player or dropping them for such significant games as he rests him for all the rest of his games.
Arsenal is of a mixed bag as far as their injury situation ahead of the clash with Chelsea is concerned as some, while racing against time to be fit, others are recovering on the sidelines.
Situation of Chelsea
Ahead of their Premier League clash with Arsenal, Chelsea faces a challenging injury list, impacting several key players:
Cole Palmer: Palmer’s availability remains uncertain due to a knee injury sustained in Chelsea’s recent match against Manchester United. Though he shared a positive update, his participation is still in question, with the medical staff closely monitoring his progress.
Christopher Nkunku: Already he has scored the most number of goals for the Blues. On top of that, he has started full training but the Chelsea fans are still not wishing for the benefit of him to come fully prepared for Arsenal since Chelsea does not want to rush him out for fear of him getting injured again.
Malo Gusto: Both defenders are currently undergoing medical assessments. Maresca has benched Chilwell permanently. His prolonged absence has impacted Chelsea’s defensive depth. So, Maresca can go for Marc Cucurella on the left flank and Malo Gusto on the right.
Reece James, Levi Colwill, and Wesley Fofana: In recent games, Maresca has played James as a right centre-back. According to 90min, Maresca believes that this tactical switch works for their system. On top of that, James was leading the defensive line which consisted of Colwill and Fofana.
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