Arsenal vs Chelsea: 3 Key Battles Featuring Coquelin vs Matic And More

Arsenal vs Chelsea: 3 Key Battles

Chelsea take on Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, safe in the knowledge that it is a matter of when and not if they win the title. A win at the home of their nearest challengers will leave the Blues one victory away from sealing their fourth Barclays Premier League title.

The Gunners, who will meet Aston Villa in the FA Cup final know that even a win won’t be enough to stop Mourinho’s men from claiming the title. But in terms of their season and where they finish, any points from the visit of the Champions-elect will serve them well. A win on Sunday will be Arsene Wenger’s first over Mourinho and would extend the Gunners’ winning run to 10 matches in all competitions.

Here are the three key battles that will decide the outcome of the top of the table clash at the Emirates.

Olivier Giroud vs Chelsea’s center-backs

Although he is without a goal in his last two games, five goals, and an assist in his last five league games has propelled him to the top of the scoring charts for the Gunners. Against a packed defense, the Frenchman’s aerial prowess and ability to bring his team-mates into play will be vital if the Gunners are to end their run of four games without a goal against the Blues.

John Terry and Gary Cahill have been excellent for the most of the season and will need to be on their toes yet again if they are to come away from the Emirates with a clean sheet. Last weekend against United was one of the more straightforward games for the pair as the Red Devils neither had the pace nor the strength to go beyond the duo. The task will be a lot harder this time around not only because of Giroud’s physical presence but also his ability to link up play with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. If the Blues pair can stop that from happening, they will blunt a significant offensive threat.

2. Arsene Wenger vs Jose Mourinho

Last week, Mourinho parked the bus against Manchester United, but still ended up with all three points. Against another strong attack, it is likely that he will do the same again. When they are defending a lead, there are few teams that are better than a side coached by Mourinho and with Eden Hazard, they always pose a threat going forward.

The big question will not be whether Mourinho picks Kurt Zouma or plays with a defensive lineup because he certainly is going to. Rather, it is whether Wenger can conjure up a way past a resolute defense. Will Wenger, who has recently developed a tinge of pragmatism, ask his side to play with the hand brakes on and try not to get caught committing too many men forward? Or will he once again go all guns blazing, leaving the defense exposed? The battle between the idealist and the realist will be an intriguing one. If Wenger can get his first win over Mourinho, a big mental block will be erased and the Gunners can be considered a credible threat next season.

3. Francis Coquelin vs Nemanja Matic

At the start of the season, there were familiar cries  for a defensive midfielder and groans when that wasn’t answered. For a while, it looked as though Arsenal’s record of being the league’s finest flat-track bully was set to continue. But injuries to various midfielders forced Wenger to bring Coquelin back from his loan spell and that has transformed their fortunes. With the Frenchman tidying up at the base of the midfield, the Gunners finally have a midfielder whose first instinct isn’t attack.

On Sunday, the 23-year-old will come up against the best in the business. While there are plenty of reasons why the Blues are going to be champions and one of the main ones is the acquisition of Matic last January. Since his arrival, they have become incredibly difficult to break down and he has provided Mourinho with the perfect blend of brawn and brain. On Sunday, this battle of two defensive midfielders is likely to decide  which side comes away with all three points. Can the Serbian hold his own again Ozil and Sanchez? Or will the Frenchman upstage him by keeping Hazard and Fabregas quiet?