Both Chelsea and Arsenal are looking to bounce back after last weekend's FA Cup disappointments as they clash in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final tie at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. The two teams have already battled twice in the Premier League this season and both matches ended without a winner: 0-0 at Stamford Bridge in September and 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium last week. The Gunners have also faced the Blues in the Community Shield in August and Arsene Wenger's men won after a penalty shoot-out.
Chelsea are still looking for their first victory in 2018, they started the year with the draw at Arsenal and then got held to a goalless stalemate at Norwich in the FA Cup last weekend. However, they are unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions and are just one point behind second-placed Manchester United in the Premier League. New signing Ross Barkley can't make his debut for the Blues yet because he has to build up his fitness after having missed the whole first half of the season.
Arsenal suffered a painful 4-2 defeat at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup last weekend, a terrible result after two consecutive Premier League draws. The Gunners have won just one of their last five matches in all competitions and are sixth in the Premier League table, five points behind fourth-placed Liverpool. Sead Kolasinac, Olivier Giroud, Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny are injured and won't be able to play on Wednesday, while Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez are the targets of increasing transfer rumours. Aaron Ramsey could return to action after having missed his side's last eight matches.
Probable line-ups:
Chelsea: Courtois - Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill - Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso - Hazard - Morata
Arsenal: Cech - Chambers, Mustafi, Holding - Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere, Maitland-Niles - Ozil, Sanchez - Lacazette
My prediction: Chelsea to win 3-2.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Chelsea win - 1.75
Draw - 3.89
Arsenal win - 5.00
Your feedback
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
Comments (1)
sharpe
01/11/18, 08:01:16 PM
I think it was a good game despite ending 0-0, it was quite different from the previous game for the League when the score could of been even 5-5. This time Wenger...
I think it was a good game despite ending 0-0, it was quite different from the previous game for the League when the score could of been even 5-5. This time Wenger choose more defensive approach and it appears that Arsenal could defend despite what most people thought (including me). So both teams remain good chances for the end victory and second game should be another cracker, quite more open I think.
Show more
