Arsenal will welcome Chelsea on Saturday, in an intriguing boxing-day London derby which would decide the fate of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Since the start of the new league season, Arsenal have witnessed a dip in form—which records the club’s worst ever league run in more than five decades.
Meanwhile, Arteta would hope to end the club’s poor run of form in the league against a resurgent Chelsea side that came off the back of two consecutive defeats in the hands of Wolves and Everton to beat West Ham 3 – 0 on Monday.
The Gunners may have so little to worry about in Saturday’s fixture as their visitors would be without first team players; Hakim Ziyech, Reece James and Ben Chilwell who have all been ruled out for the encounter due to injury.
Arteta’s side may be without teenage sensation Gabriel Martinelli after the forward wobbled off the pitch in a League Cup defeat to Manchester City.
However, the Spaniard speaking on Martinelli’s fitness said: “Gabi is recovering well and we hope he will be able to participate in full training ahead of Saturday.”
Martinelli had only made his first start for Arsenal in nine months before a clash with Zack Steffen.
Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a major doubt for the clash due to his calf injury, and summer signing Thomas Partey is definitely out with a muscular problem.
Arsenal, who are just three points above the relegation waters have only managed a total of 12 goals in 14 games this season; a situation which leaves the coach with a rare opportunity to try out other options in a bid to save his job.
Chelsea on the other hand, would hope to maintain a Christmas record against Arsenal as both teams have played four times around this period in the past decade.
Despite hosting all of these contests, the Gunners have won just once, but the matches have tended to always be good games.
