Looking for a betting head start Sunday to the final day of the NFL regular season? The first of three English Premier League soccer matches features Arsenal against Chelsea in a London derby with an early-morning start. It has been a struggle this year for Arsenal, while Chelsea sit fourth in the EPL standings. Here’s a look at the match with Mybookie EPL odds.
Arsenal vs Chelsea 2019 English Premier League Odds & Analysis
- When: Sunday, 9 AM ET
- Where: Emirates Stadium
- TV: NBCSN
- Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
- Arsenal vs Chelsea Odds: Chelsea +118 / Arsenal +192 / Draw +260 (Total 3 goals)
Arsenal vs Chelsea Last Meeting
Teams last played not in a Premier League match but in the Europa League final in May in Baku. Chelsea won 4-1. Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, Pedro and Eden Hazard (2) scored the goals for the winners. Arsenal were given a glimmer of hope in the 69th minute as Alex Iwobi produced a terrific long-range effort, which gave goaltender Kepa Arrizabalaga no chance. However, Hazard would score within three minutes on a penalty shot to make it 4-1.The sides last played a Premier League match in January of this year at Emirates Stadium and Arsenal won 2-0. The clubs have played 54 times overall, with Arsenal winning 20 and Chelsea 18. The rest were draws.
Why Bet on Arsenal?
The Gunners just played Thursday and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang salvaged a 1-1 draw for Arsenal vs. Bournemouth in Mikel Arteta’s first game in charge. The Spaniard returned to Arsenal to become the 20th full-time manager. The draw has the Gunners staying 11th in the table, eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, while Bournemouth dropped to 15th despite the point. The two sides came into the game in poor form, with Bournemouth having lost six of their last seven and Arsenal only winning once since beating Bournemouth 1-0 at the Emirates on Oct. 6.After conceding a first half opener, Arsenal continued their strong play and got a reward in the 64th minute. The Gunners had been in and around the Cherries box for much of the match searching for a way through in vain. In the 64th minute, Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Reiss Nelson found a way through with Aubameyang starting and finishing the move. Aubameyang has scored 11 of Arsenal’s last 16 away league goals, including seven of their last nine on the road in the EPL.
Some Changes
Arteta restored Ozil and Lacazette to the Arsenal starting lineup for his managerial bow. Ozil was easily the best player on the pitch in the first half. However, he started to tire in the second period and was replaced by Joe Willock after 75 minutes. Lacazette was denied a goal after 69 minutes by an excellent last-ditch challenge by Bournemouth’s Steve Cook. Lacazette was then booked for running into Harry Wilson in the final minute.There were some encouraging signs for Arsenal, who dominated possession for long spells. Arsenal had more shots in this game (17) than they did in their previous two Premier League games combined (12 – six each vs Everton and Manchester City). The balance of the Gunners’ midfield looked better with solid performances from Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka, “In terms of attitude, desire and commitment it was better than I expect. They are not used to playing at this rhythm,” said the 37-year-old Arteta, who spent five seasons as a player at the club.
Defender Calum Chambers and forward Gabriel Martinelli missed out because of suspension and injury respectively, while Emile Smith Rowe dropped to the bench.
Expected Line-up
- 1-B. Leno
- 18-Nacho Monreal
- 23-David Luiz
- 5-S. Papastathopoulos
- 34-G. Xhaka
- 15-A. Maitland-Niles
- 8-Dani Ceballos
- 10-M. Ozil
- 29-M. Guendouzi
- 14-P. Aubameyang
- 9-A. Lacazette
Why Bet on Chelsea?
Chelsea was upset at home on Thursday, 2-0 by Southampton. Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond scored in each half. Southampton had chances to double their lead but Che Adams was denied by a Fikayo Tomori block, while Kepa Arrizabalaga saved from Redmond. Ralph Hassenhuttl’s side fought to secure a first clean sheet in 14 attempts. Chelsea had won seven of the past eight Premier League encounters with Southampton.Chelsea have lost three of four Premier League games at home, this one following those against Bournemouth and West Ham, and they have drawn blanks on each occasion. Manager Frank Lampard’s side have now lost six matches at home in all competitions this season. Chelsea remain in fourth despite the defeat but they are only three points above Tottenham. Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger was selected in the starting lineup after he was subjected to racist abuse in last Sunday’s match against Spurs.
“It felt the same as recent home games,” said Lampard of Thursday’s loss. “Credit to Southampton, they were organized, they got their goals and got the win but we know we can do much better. We need to be better at breaking teams down. It was the same story as a few of the last home games. … We haven’t been clinical in front of goal, that’s something we have to improve on.”
What about the Defense?
Their leaky defense at the back has seen the Blues slip off the pace in recent weeks, among teams in the top half of the table only Newcastle, with 28, have conceded more than the Blues’ 27. The Blues lie only six points behind third-place Manchester City in the Premier League, but trail their goal difference by a total of 24, with 33 scores this term in the top-flight.Lampard made three lineup changes for the match. Jorginho replaced the suspended Mateo Kovacic in midfield, while Emerson Palmieri came in for Marcos Alonso and Callum Hudson-Odoi took the place of Mason Mount.
Lampard had stuck with a 3-4-3 system to start the game but it did not work at all on this occasion and he switched to a back four at the break, introducing Mount in an attacking midfield role and sacrificing Kurt Zouma. Chelsea looked more urgent with Mount on the pitch.
Expected Line-up
- 1-Kepa
- 28-Azpilicueta
- 15-K. Zouma
- 33-Emerson
- 4-A. Christensen
- 22-C. Pulisic
- 17-M. Kovačić
- 5-Jorginho
- 10-William
- 11-Pedro
- 9-T. Abraham
