Michael Owen expects Thomas Tuchel’s side to emerge victorious today
Premier League great Michael Owen has tipped Chelsea to earn a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the top-flight today
The Blues are set to host London rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League this evening. Thomas Tuchel’s side will play their 31st match of the season, while the trip will be the Gunners’ 32nd fixture.
Chelsea thrashed Southampton 6-0 in their last league game and will be looking to build on that today. Tuchel and Co will be high on confidence, having beaten Crystal Palace 2-0 in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley at the weekend.
Mikel Arteta’s side, on the other hand, go into the match on the back of a three-game losing streak. Owen thus feels Chelsea have the upper hand over Arsenal ahead of the clash at Stamford Bridge.
The former Liverpool striker dubbed the Gunners’ defeat to Southampton at the weekend as a ‘disaster’. He also explained that he expects the Blues to claim the victory over Arteta and Co today. He wrote in his Betvictor column:
“Chelsea look back to their best. They had a dip in form, but the last few performances have been much better. I wouldn’t say they were at their absolute best against Palace, but they controlled the game and made it look like a routine win. I loved Mason Mount’s goal, a brilliant touch and finish inside the box.””The pressure is mounting on Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. After Spurs dropped points earlier, to lose away to Southampton was a disaster. That’s now three defeats in a row. The glaring worry is the lack of goals, could letting Aubameyang leave in January come back to haunt them?””I have to fancy Chelsea here. I think we’ll see an improved performance from Arsenal, but it won’t be enough. 2-1 Chelsea.”
It is worth noting that both sides played Southampton at St. Mary’s in their last Premier League outing. While Tuchel’s side earned a 6-0 win, the Gunners suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Saints.
Where do Chelsea and Arsenal sit in the Premier League table?
The Blues currently sit third in the Premier League table with 62 points from 30 matches. They are 14 points behind table-toppers Liverpool and five points above fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, but have two games in hand over both of them.
Arteta’s side are placed fifth in the table, having earned 54 points from 31 games. Losing three games in a row has dealt a major blow to the Gunners’ UEFA Champions League aspirations.
However, the north London giants are still only three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. It is also worth noting that Antonio Conte’s side have played one more game than Arsenal.
