English Premier
2026-03-01 - Arsenal vs Chelsea
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 1st March 2026 - Kick Off 4:30pm
This game is live on TV
Arsenal
There would have been a huge amount of interest in the North London derby last Sunday which was played days after Arsenal blew a 0-2 lead at Wolves to drop two Premier League points and twenty-four hours after Manchester City closed to within 2 points of the League leaders. Mikel Arteta insisted in the build up that he was not concerned, but even the manager had to be really pleased with the reaction of his players as they thumped Tottenham Hotspur 1-4 to leave their rivals in a real relegation battle.
That would have been a bonus part of the win at Spurs with the most important being that Arsenal are one game closer to the end of the campaign and remain 5 points clear of Manchester City. The gap could be closer when this fixture kicks off at the Emirates Stadium, but all Arsenal are worried about is improving the 10-2-1 record they have put together in this Stadium in the Premier League.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 8 games in all competitions since the surprising 2-3 defeat to Manchester United in January, but the win at Tottenham Hotspur was important seeing as the team had drawn consecutive Premier League games. The Gunners have won 4 in a row at the Emirates Stadium, but only one of those matches have been in the Premier League having drawn with Liverpool and beaten by Manchester United before getting the better of Sunderland.
Ben White, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz are hoping to be available for the home team.
Chelsea
There have been plenty of dropped points in the Premier League this season, but back to back home draws with teams fighting against relegation feels like a body blow for Chelsea fans. Now they are about to embark on a really challenging run in the schedule and the board will be really concerned that Chelsea could miss out on the top five and the Champions League places.
The Blues are still involved in the Champions League this season and the FA Cup, but they are 5th in the Premier League table and only above Liverpool on goal difference, but with that difficult fixture list beginning this weekend. They do have a 6-4-3 away record in the Premier League, which is the second best in the Division, but Chelsea have two away games coming up against teams sitting above them in the standings.
Chelsea have won 2 of the last 5 games in all competitions and one of those was against bottom club Wolves and the other against Hull City of the Championship. Home draws with Leeds United and Burnley have slowed momentum, but Chelsea may travel with some confidence having won 5 of 6 away games played under Liam Rosenior.
Wesley Fofana's sending off last weekend changed the game and he is suspended this week. Both Marc Cucurella and Estevao are doubts.
Head to Head
Arsenal beat Chelsea in both Legs of the League Cup Semi Final with a 2-3 victory at Stamford Bridge followed by an injury time winner in the 1-0 home success.
The Premier League game at Stamford Bridge finished 1-1 earlier this season.
Arsenal have now won 4 in a row at home against Chelsea in all competitions.
Prediction
When these London rivals met in the League Cup Semi Final, Liam Rosenior made it clear that his Chelsea team had to manage the squad and that led to two very different approaches.
At home Chelsea did play with a bit more attacking intent, but the away Leg in early February saw the manager decide he would set his team up to frustrate Arsenal and then try and make substitutions to influence the game.
Of course on that day, Mikel Arteta may have been largely comfortable with the approach considering his team led 3-2 from the First Leg, but this fixture feels quite different for both Arsenal and Chelsea.
For different reasons, the three points are much more important than reaching a League Cup Final.
Chelsea are trying to get back on track in the Premier League and it simply cannot be ignored how important it is to finish in the top five and return to the Champions League. Of course they could win the 2026 Champions League to do that, but that is a much more difficult route and Liam Rosenior's team need to bounce back from a couple of home setbacks.
In the League Cup Semi Final Second Leg, Arsenal could be much more patient with the approach taken, but three points are very important in their bid to win the Premier League and not allow Manchester City to take control.
They looked solid enough against Tottenham Hotspur, although there have to be some concerns with the lack of clean sheets and there is pressure on both teams.
Arsenal look the healthier, which has to give them the edge, but they look a short price even as the most likely winners.
Instead the approach could be to back less than three goals shared out, which would have been a winner in 4 of the last 5 meetings between these rivals, including the last 2 at the Emirates Stadium.
There were not a host of chances created when they met in the League Cup Semi Final Second Leg and Liam Rosenior may be more keen to replicate that style of match. He will certainly feel like the pressure will ramp up on Arsenal the longer the game is level and Chelsea largely controlled the attacking threat of the home team in that Second Leg, even if Arsenal should show more intent in this Premier League game.
An early goal would change the entire outlook of the fixture, but an opening play has to be backing less than three goals to be scored at odds against. Both teams have been scoring plenty of goals of late, but Rosenior will have looked at his own tactics and those employed by Arne Slot as the best way to counter Arsenal's threat and it could lead to a tense battle in North London in the final Premier League game of the weekend.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
