Expect late goals as Chelsea seek revenge for loss at Arsenal

Arsenal fans will be reluctant to admit it, but those opening 45 minutes in the reverse fixture were very much the catalyst to Chelsea’s fine form this season. After shipping three goals in the opening half, Antonio Conte had seen enough and decided to do things his ways - shifting to the highly anticipated three at the back system. To add insult to injury, Chelsea went on to equal Arsenal’s record of 13 consecutive league wins - conceding just 4 goals in that time on the back of that defeat.

Chelsea have played 20 matches since their defeat at Arsenal, losing away to West Ham in the League Cup, away to Tottenham in the league, and dropped 2 points at Anfield on Tuesday after Simon Mignolet denied Diego Costa from the spot, though it leaves Chelsea with 17 wins across all competitions. They’ve won each of their last 10 games at Stamford Bridge and kept a clean sheet in 7 of those matches.

Arsenal’s fortunes since beating the Blues has been mixed at best. While they’ve managed impressive scorelines against Sunderland, West Ham and Swansea they’ve struggled against some of the top sides — and not so top sides having lost 3 and drawn 1 of their last 8 league matches. The Gunners followed up an impressive FA Cup win over Southampton with a turgid defeat to Watford at home on Tuesday night.

While not an overly vocal figure in his technical area, Arsene Wenger’s presence amongst the Chelsea fans is unlikely to do Arsenal any favours. They have not done the double over Chelsea in a single season since their last title winning campaign nearly 13 years ago. His touchline ban seemed to have little effect on their cup game, but Arsenal looked sluggish as they tried to regroup after conceding two early goals against Watford. It's possible Wenger's presence could have seen them find their feet a little quicker, but they won't want a repeat on Saturday.

David Luiz said after Tuesday’s game that he was experiencing discomfort in his knee and Eden Hazard has rumoured to be carrying a small injury, but Antonio Conte said that there were no injury concerns in his pre-match press conference. Arsenal will still be without midfield maestro Santi Cazorla and with Aaron Ramsey picking up a calf strain, Granit Xhaka suspended once again and Mohamed Elneny preparing for the AFCON 2017 final, Wenger’s midfield could find itself stretched.

With that in mind, there is certainly money to be made in this fixture courtesy of Bet365. New Bet365 customers recieve a 100% deposit bonus. When you deposit £10 or more you will qualify for a matched amount to bet with, up to £200. Given the excellent markets on offer for this Premier League contest, you stand to win money from the match.

Late Goal (after 73:59) at 1.83

Both teams will be looking to score early and set the tone for the game. An early goal could be on the cards but both Chelsea and Arsenal see a lot of late goals. Chelsea have scored a goal after the 75th minute in each of their last 6 home games, while Arsenal have seen a late goal in 13 of their last 15 away games in all competitions. You can get a late goal in this game at 1.83 with Bet365.

Chelsea to score over 1.5 at 1.83

While Chelsea’s defensive fortitude has been widely praised since their change in formation, their prowess in front of goal has been somewhat overlooked. This season, they’ve scored more goals at home (30) than any other team in the Premier League, despite playing 2 fewer home games than some other teams at this stage of the campaign. They also really enjoy playing at home to Arsenal, scoring 2 or more goals in each of their last 7 meetings with the Gunners at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea to score 2 or more goals with Bet365 has been priced at 1.83.

Theo Walcott anytime at 3.75

With the exception of the anomaly in September, Chelsea have a formidable defensive record against Arsenal, keeping a clean sheet in each of the 7 competitive matches that preceded the 3-0 loss at the Emirates. The last Arsenal player to find the back of the net at Stamford Bridge was Theo Walcott, who has recently found a bit of form. The Englishman has scored in 3 of his last 4 starts (5 goals), and Chelsea are also his favourite opponent. He has scored 6 goals against the Blues; he has not scored more against any other team he has faced. Bet on him to score anytime with Bet365 at 3.75.