Arsenal continue their difficult season run-in as they host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, with the hunt for the Premier League title remaining hot down the stretch.
The Gunners have by far the toughest finishing fixture list of the three title contenders, with the north London derby looming on the weekend plus a visit to Old Trafford still to come.
They cannot afford a single slip, as the Gunners do not control their own destiny in the title race and therefore must be near-perfect the rest of the way to ensure they capitalise on any slips by their rivals. Arsenal hold the lead at the top of the standings, level on points with Liverpool while ahead on goal differential, but Man City loom one point back and hold a game in hand, thus maintaining the advantage over the other two.
Chelsea have little else to play for the rest of the season, but would be thrilled to play spoiler for their London rivals. The Blues sit ninth in the table, and while their hunt for European places remains alive in theory, in practice they have gained little ground over the last month and it feels inevitable that they will find themselves outside unless they reverse their fortune.
They could, however, be missing 20-goal talisman Cole Palmer who is ill and, according to Mauricio Pochettino, a doubt to take part in this match.
The Gunners know the thin margins of the Premier League title race, and Mikel Arteta has played into the idea that they will find goals eventually, they just have to keep the opponent out on the other end. While these two sides drew at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal are clearly the better side and should come away with a victory at home as Chelsea continue to flounder in front of net and make mistakes at the back.
Arsenal vs Chelsea match facts:
- Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
- Kickoff time: 8 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT)
- Location: Emirates Stadium (London, England)
- Referee: Simon Hooper, VAR: Peter Bankes
- Last meeting: Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal (Oct. 21, 2023 | Premier League)
Source: Sporting News