Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways in the Premier League when they take on Chelsea on Sunday.
The Gunners have had a good week so far, getting the job done against PSV Eindhoven to go through to the Champions League quarter-finals.
However, Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes are fading with each passing week, having picked up just one point from their last three games.
Meanwhile, Chelsea won their last two league matches to go two points clear of fifth-placed Manchester City in fourth.
Paul Merson has now predicted who will triumph between Arsenal and Chelsea in Sunday’s 1:30pm kick-off at the Emirates Stadium.
Paul Merson backs Arsenal to win 2-0 against Chelsea
Merson stressed that Arsenal “need to win this game” against Chelsea, as defeat would force them to start looking over their shoulders in terms of a top-four finish.
However, the Gunners legend says he can’t see Chelsea winning against Arsenal after they “bored Leicester into submission” last time out.
Merson reckons Arsenal will win 2-0 against a Blues side missing Nicolas Jackson and with Cole Palmer not doing as well without his teammate.
“What do I even say about Chelsea? They bored Leicester into submission last weekend,” Merson wrote on Sportskeeda.
“The way they are playing, I don’t see how they can beat Arsenal here.
| Position | Team | Played MP |
Won W |
Drawn D |
Lost L |
For GF |
Against GA |
Diff GD |
Points Pts |
| 1 |  |
29 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 69 | 27 | 42 | 70 |
| 2 |  |
28 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 52 | 24 | 28 | 55 |
| 3 |  |
28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 45 | 33 | 12 | 51 |
| 4 |  |
28 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 53 | 36 | 17 | 49 |
| 5 |  |
28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 53 | 38 | 15 | 47 |
“Chelsea have no threat up front with Nicolas Jackson unavailable.
“I’ve always said that Christopher Nkunku is more of a No. 10 and you can’t expect or rely on him to do what a No. 9 does.
“Arsenal need to win this game. A defeat to Chelsea would pull the Gunners back into the race to finish in the top four.
“They are now 15 points behind Liverpool and just eight points ahead of Manchester City in fifth-place.
“Another loss and you would have to start worrying about them finishing inside the top four and I can’t believe I’m saying that!”
Arsenal v Chelsea team news
As Merson mentioned, Arsenal’s Sterling, who is on loan from Chelsea, is ineligible to face his parent club.
Martin Keown noted how Sterling’s great display against PSV was a “long time coming” at Arsenal, but an enforced rest now awaits.
Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out, but the Gunners have an otherwise clean bill of health.
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Arteta was able to rest a number of key players against PSV this week, courtesy of the 7-1 win in their last-16 first leg.
Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard all started on the bench in their second leg.
As for Chelsea, Reece James and Cole Palmer both came off the bench in the club’s Europa Conference League win over FC Copenhagen.
The Blues remain without Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, who are expected to be back after the March international break.
