The all-London derby is a great way to start off the feast of football over the festive period and could have a significant impact on the title race.
There are a few Christmas crackers in terms of Premier League games over the festive period and the always interesting match-up of Arsenal and Chelsea might just be the best of the lot.
Third and fifth in the table respectively, the Gunners will return to the top if they claim all three points, while Chelsea can do likewise if they win… win by more than nine goals that is. Guess there’ll be no parking of the bus at the Emirates tonight then Jose?
The Blues, of course, have an excellent record at the Emirates having won four of their last six games there and are a straight up 2/1 to make it five out of seven this evening. There is more than a whiff of ‘must not lose’ about this particular encounter given the potential ramifications for the title race and the odds of it ending all square are a slightly more attractive 23/10.
If it’s a draw you think thar’ll be – we just felt in a pirate-y mood all of a sudden matey – you could sweeten any potential earnings by going for a draw and more than 2.5 goals scored in the match at a tempting looking 8/1. Matches between the big sides this season – bar the incredibly boring stalemate between Man United and Chelsea at Old Trafford – have tended to feature lots of goals and the chances of say, a 2-2 tonight, are far from remote.
On the other hand, if you think Jose is going to maintain the upper hand he enjoyed over Arsene Wenger in his first spell in England and complete the classic smash and grab, a 1-0 win for the visitors is on offer at 12/1, although it would require a big improvement from a Chelsea defence that haven’t kept a clean sheet in the league in four games and have conceded three goals in their last two outings on the road, to the might of Stoke and Sunderland, we should add.
Arsenal, as it will pain their fans to remember, conceded six last time out so, if both defences continue to select the ‘kamikaze’ option ahead of tonight’s game – and we sincerely hope for entertainment’s sake that they do – then the total goals market is well worth a look.
Over 2.5 goals is priced at 3/4, over 3.5 goals at 37/20, over 4.5 at 17/4, and in what really would be very enjoyable indeed, over 5.5 goals is a very profitable 10/1. Might sound far-fetched but who’d have thunk that there would be nine goals in the clash between Man City and Arsenal at the Emirates?
In terms of who might score them, Theo Walcott has a good record against Chelsea and we like the odds of 9/1 on him to hit the net first, or for the safer option, 5/2 to score at any time. With two in his last three, Mesut Ozil is a decent bet at 11/1 (to score first) and 3/1 (to score anytime), while that man Aaron Ramsey is due a goal having not scored in three whole games and is available at 7/2 to break that drought tonight.
For Chelsea, Samuel Eto’o is leading the way on 8/1 to score first or 9/4 anytime, but we think you’d be better advised exploring the options of Andre Schurrle (4/1 anytime) or Eden Hazard, who’s 11/1 to score first and 15/2 to score at any time in a Chelsea victory.
However it turns out or whatever flutters you might fancy, you can bet that it will be a cracking encounter in North London, although, alas, there are no odds available for that.
