Premier League action is back with a bang, Arsenal will take on Chelsea in the London Derby on Sunday. The Gunners would want to redeem themselves after the disappointing defeat in the Premier League opener, losing 2-0 to Brentford.
Since their loss, Arsenal have made considerable moves in the transfer market, signing Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid and Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United. But, there are doubts on whether they will feature in the London Derby.
On the other hand, the Blues had a routine win against Crystal Palace, winning the game by 3-0. Even so, they made a major summer signing in Romelu Lukaku, who could feature against the Gunners. The Belgian striker could certainly be the game-changer for Chelsea in their pursuit to win the Premier League title.
Nevertheless, both the teams are in an early phase and will be taking their time to get the best out of their new arrivals. Premier League action on Sunday will shed light on who will have the bragging rights after tomorrow’s Arsenal vs Chelsea game. With both teams going out for a win, let’s have a look at the players to watch out for in the London Derby.
Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka is hailed to be the future star at Emirates, and so far the youngster has outdone expectations. Although the 19-year-old started the game against Brentford on the bench, he is expected to start against the Blues.
Martin Odegaard 🤝 London Colney
Back home 🏡 pic.twitter.com/6GpX9hOSBo
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 20, 2021
The outcry for a creative midfielder has finally been answered, the Gunners signed Martin Odegaard on a permanent transfer this week, but he is set to miss the London Derby. Therefore, the burden will be on young Saka’s shoulders to get the team going in the offensive phase. With his talent and abilities, he is going to be a handful for Thomas Tuchel and his defenders.
Emile Smith Rowe
Emile Smith Rowe has been handed the number 10 jersey at the Emirates after penning down a new long-term deal. ESR is another youngster who is seen as a future star for the club and rightly so. Considering how he has been performing for the Gunners at just 21-years of age, there’s only more to come from the player.
The occasion doesn’t come better than this for the youngster as Arsenal take on the Blues in the London Derby, the attacking midfielder will be keen to make his mark on the game and Chelsea defenders should keep an eye out for him.
Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku is back at Stamford Bridge after making a £97 million switch from Internazionale. Lukaku was an instrumental part of Antonio Conte’s team that won the league last season. He finished second on the scoring charts behind Cristiano Ronaldo in Serie A, bagging a total of 24 goals.
Romelu Lukaku is back in Chelsea colours once again 🔵🟡
📸 @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/TfwRouEsOI
— GOAL (@goal) August 16, 2021
The Belgian forward is set to be featured in the game against Arsenal and with the likes of Mason Mount, Jorginho and Kai Havertz playing behind him, there will be plenty of crosses and key passes to lash out on for Lukaku.
He will make lives difficult for the defenders. Looking at the current state of Arsenal’s defence, it’s hard to see them come out unscathed and keep a clean sheet on Lukaku’s watch. The Belgian is set to make his Premier League debut for the second time against Arsenal in the London Derby, needless to say, all eyes will be on him.
Jorginho
The 29-year-old midfielder was on a roll last season, winning the Champions League and FA Cup with Chelsea and the Euro 2020 with the Italian national team. Jorginho is at the top of his game and would certainly want to continue his run this season.
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He is the vital link between the defence and attack for the Blues, a proper box-to-box midfielder. Backed by his skills and presence of mind, he is a great asset to rely on for Thomas Tuchel. The Italian also has an unorthodox way of scoring penalties and he will be hoping to get one against the Gunners. If Chelsea are to boss out the middle of the park, Jorginho has to have a big say in that.
Bernd Leno
With the arrival of Aaron Ramsdale at the Emirates, the German shot-stopper will be under pressure to perform well. More often than not, Bernd Leno has been suspected of being unable to pull off saves and performances when the team needed him the most.
What better chances to cement yourself as the No.1 at Arsenal than by keeping a clean sheet against Chelsea in the London Derby. Yeah, it is a big ask, especially against the Blues. Nevertheless, all eyes will be upon him to see how he does against Tuchel’s forwards. He might be a surprise inclusion to this list, but a noteworthy one as he could decide the fate for the Gunners between the sticks.
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