Can Arsenal Redeem Self against Chelsea with London Derby?

With just a week into the season, pressure is already on Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta after a disappointing 2-0 loss to Premier League new boys-Brentford in the season’s opener. With neighbours, Chelsea visiting tomorrow in another London derby, the Gunners will need more than the crowd behind them to survive the Blues invasion. Arsenal will however be boosted by their last season’s victories in both fixture even when they were not favourites

A tantalising London derby takes place in week two of the new Premier League season, as Arsenal and Chelsea face off at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners opened the new campaign with a dismal 2-0 defeat at Brentford, whereas Thomas Tuchel’s side eased to a 3-0 success over Crystal Palace.

Only now has it been confirmed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette’s ‘illnesses’ last week were in fact COVID-19, as the two strikers were ruled out on the morning of the Brentford game before Mikel Arteta’s side were taught a footballing lesson by the newbies.

Sergi Canos rifled in the first goal of the Premier League season and Brentford’s first in the competition in the 22nd minute, and as Arsenal’s futile attempts to claw their way back into the game failed to bear fruit, Christian Norgaard bullied his way through the Arsenal defence to propel the Bees to a historic win.

Many believed that a campaign without European football would only benefit Arsenal domestically, but the Gunners – albeit one depleted by injuries and illnesses – kicked off the season in the manner that Gooners feared following an equally woeful pre-season period.

However, as disgruntled supporters prepare to make their return to the Emirates, Arsenal can take some solace in the fact that they claimed back-to-back wins in their final two home games last term, although they were against Brighton & Hove Albion and West Bromwich Albion.

Having had 22 shots without finding the back of the net against Brentford, the potential absences of Aubameyang and Lacazette are well and truly felt in the Emirates ranks, and worryingly, five of Arsenal’s last 10 opening home games have ended in defeat.

While their London counterparts were being humbled, Chelsea simply cruised to three points in a capital derby of their own, striking three times without reply against Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace in front of the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Marcos Alonso’s free kick represented a stellar way to open the Blues’ account for the new season, and the Blues would add to their tally through Christian Pulisic’s tap-in and Trevoh Chalobah’s long-range effort – some way to score your first goal for the European champions.

Keeping the momentum going from their enthralling yet draining victory over Villarreal in the Super Cup, Chelsea have already risen to second in the fledgling standings, but the Champions League holders will undoubtedly have their eyes set on wrestling the crown off of Manchester City’s hands. Chelsea fans need no reminding that their final away game last season ended in a dampening 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, but they had witnessed their side win six and draw two of their previous eight on the road before that and have not lost to Arsenal on a Sunday since the 2008-09 season.

However, Frank Lampard and Tuchel both had no answer to Arteta’s fluid Arsenal in the 2020-21 season, as the Gunners kickstarted their revival with a 3-1 Boxing Day win at the Emirates before Emile Smith Rowe capitalised on Jorginho’s error at Stamford Bridge for a 1-0 win, although Chelsea did prevail 2-1 in the Mind Series earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Manchester City will be looking to bounce back from their defeat at Tottenham Hotspur when they welcome Norwich City to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Citizens suffered a 1-0 loss at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the opening weekend of the 2021-22 campaign, while Norwich were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool at Carrow Road on their return to this level.

Man City are regarded as the favourites by many to successfully defend their Premier League title this season, but there is no getting away from the fact that it has been a difficult August for the club thus far.
A proposed deal for Harry Kane appears to be no closer to going through, while Pep Guardiola’s side have suffered 1-0 defeats to Leicester City and Tottenham in their two competitive matches this season.

Indeed, the Foxes beat the English champions in the Community Shield on August 7, before Tottenham ran out 1-0 winners in the Premier League last Sunday courtesy of a second-half effort from Son Heung-min, meaning that there is already pressure on the Citizens to put three points on the board.
Man City’s need for a new striker was shown in the defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the club will soon enter a difficult run of fixtures, taking on Arsenal, Leicester, Chelsea and Liverpool in four of their five matches after this weekend’s contest with Daniel Farke’s team.

Guardiola’s side thumped Norwich 5-0 when the two teams last locked horns at the Etihad Stadium in July 2020, but the Canaries did record a 3-2 win over Man City at Carrow Road in September 2019.
Norwich’s start to the 2021-22 Premier League season could not have been much more difficult considering that they opened against Liverpool and are now preparing to take on Man City.

It is not as if it gets much easier, though, as Farke’s side are due to face Leicester in their final match of August before opening September away to Arsenal, and it could be a tough season if the promoted side are unable to put some points on the board in their opening four matches.
Norwich started brightly against Liverpool last weekend but conceded once in the first half and twice in the second half, as the Reds recorded a 3-0 victory at Carrow Road.

The Canaries will know that their home form will be crucial if they are to stay in the top flight this season, but they did record a 3-2 victory away to Man City as recent as 2013, and it might be a good time to take on the champions considering their issues in the early stages of the new campaign.
Farke’s team also had the best away record in the Championship last season, picking up 49 points from 23 matches, recording 15 wins and suffering just four defeats, which are impressive statistics.