To the delight of fans across the world, the Premier League season is officially underway. In true EPL fashion, opening weekend was full of excitement and a few shock results. The biggest surprise came when newly appointed Nuno Espirito Santo led Tottenham to a one-nil victory over defending EPL champions Manchester City.
Each week I’ll break down the Premier League action from a betting perspective, digging through information pertinent to bettors and offering my take on particular matchups. This week we will turn our attention to the clash between Arsenal and the champions of Europe; Chelsea. Odds can be found via PointsBet Sportsbook:
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Arsenal vs Chelsea (Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET):
Three-way Moneyline: Arsenal (+375) | Draw (+260) | Chelsea (-130)
Last season Chelsea fought through adversity and found themselves the last team standing in Europe. After replacing manager Frank Lampard, Chelsea shored up their defense by appointing defensive minded manager Thomas Tuchel. This stout defense led them to be crown Champions of Europe.
During the 2020-2021 campaign Chelsea finished second in expected goals allowed. From the arrival of Tuchel to the end of the season they were number one. Their defensive tactics have carried over into the start of the season by winning the UEFA Super Cup over Europa Champions Villarreal.
In their first fixture of the season they dominated Crystal Palace on both sides of the ball. Palace were unable to muster any real offensive threat. They were held to an xG of 0.29 and only four total shots through the entire contest.
The contest against Arsenal will prove to be challenge. Chelsea have not defeated Arsenal in their last four official matches. Yet, this match will yield different results. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hinted that neither Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nor Alexandre Lacazette will suit up for the fixture.
In their season opener with league newcomer Brentford, the presence of both was missed. They were shutout against a team last season who was playing in the English Championship division. It was clear they missed the creativity of both AuBa and Lacazette.
For Chelsea, they should be welcoming their new number nine Romelo Lukaku. The Belgium striker is the number nine they most desperately need. He finished second (24 goals) in the Serie A golden boot race behind Juventus superstar Christiano Ronaldo (29 goals). While he finished second, his team, Inter Milan won the scudetto.
The spark Lukaku’s presence will provide plus Chelsea’s elite defense coupled with Arsenal missing two key offensive players is why I will be back Chelsea to win (-130) over Arsenal.
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