The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chelsea

  • Chelsea  secure draw as Arsenal title bid suffers fresh blow

    Chelsea  secure draw as Arsenal title bid suffers fresh blow

    Pedro Neto dealt a fresh blow to spluttering Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge as the Chelsea winger’s superb strike rescued a 1-1 draw in Sunday’s London derby.

    Mikel Arteta’s side had taken the lead through Gabriel Martinelli’s second-half goal at Stamford Bridge.

    But Neto’s equaliser 10 minutes later earned Chelsea a deserved point and left the Gunners without a win in their last four league games.

    Neto’s first Premier League goal since his move from Wolves in August kept third-placed Chelsea above fourth-placed Arsenal on goal difference.

    Both teams are nine points behind leaders Liverpool, but while Chelsea will be encouraged by their position after exceeding expectations in Enzo Maresca’s first season in charge, Arsenal head into the international break assailed by questions about their malaise.

    Beaten 1-0 by Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, hot on the heels of last weekend’s loss at Newcastle, Arsenal have won just three of their last nine league games.

    Chasing a first title since 2004 after finishing second to Manchester City in each of the past two seasons, Arsenal lack the fluency that carried them so close to the trophy last term.

    The north Londoners’ only wins in their last seven matches in all competitions came against Shakhtar Donetsk in Europe and second-tier Preston in the League Cup.

    Maresca has repeatedly claimed he does not believe Chelsea are ready to challenge for the title, but the Italian has laid impressive foundations since arriving at the underachieving club in the close season.

    Although they were unable to secure a first home win against Chelsea for six years, Maresca’s young team appear to be heading in the right direction at last.

    Cole Palmer, the jewel in Maresca’s crown, quickly forced David Raya into action with a 25-yard drive that the Arsenal keeper tipped over.

    Astutely dropping deep to take possession in midfield, Palmer led several Chelsea counter-attacks that had Arteta fretting on the touchline as Malo Gusto’s shot was blocked and Noni Madueke’s header looped wide.

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    Gusto should have put Chelsea ahead midway through the first half when Neto teased Ben White with some nimble footwork before whipping in a pin-point cross that the defender somehow headed over from close range.

    Chelsea had imposed their will on Arsenal with a tenacious display featuring some bruising challenges.

    But their propensity for overplaying from their own goal kicks nearly proved fatal when Levi Colwill’s sloppy pass led to Martinelli forcing a good stop from Robert Sanchez.

    Martin Odegaard started his first Arsenal game since August 31 after returning from an ankle injury as a late substitute against Inter in midweek.

    Odegaard seemed to have laid on Arsenal’s opener when his quick free-kick found Kai Havertz, who slotted past Sanchez in the 32nd  minute.

    But Havertz’s celebrations were curtailed by a VAR check that showed the former Chelsea striker was offside by the narrowest of margins.

    Despite that narrow escape, Chelsea had enjoyed a strong spell and they went close to earning a tangible reward when Wesley Fofana volleyed just over from Madueke’s cross early in the second half.

    Arsenal kept plugging away and snatched the lead on the hour.

    Surrounded by defenders on the edge of the Chelsea area, Odegaard cleverly worked just enough space to clip a sublime pass to the unmarked Martinelli and the Brazilian’s close-range strike beat Sanchez too easily at his near post.

    It was exactly the sort of magical moment that Arsenal had so sorely missed in Odegaard’s absence.

    Suitably inspired by his captain, Jurrien Timber almost doubled Arsenal’s lead with a buccaneering run that end with a low drive that whistled just wide.

    But Arsenal’s lead was short-lived as Maresca’s tactical switch paid dividends in the 70th  minute.

    Moving Neto from the left to the right flank allowed the Portugal winger to cut inside for a blistering low strike that arrowed into the bottom corner from 25 yards and left Arteta holding his head in frustration.

  • Things to know ahead Chelsea, Arsenal clash

    Things to know ahead Chelsea, Arsenal clash

    The biggest game in the Premier League today takes us to the Stamford Bridge where Chelsea takes on stern rivals Arsenal.

    Here are a few things to know ahead of the game.

    1. Chelsea have won just one of their last nine Premier League games against Arsenal (D2 L6), a 2-0 away win in August 2021.

    2. Arsenal have won three of their last four Premier League away games against Chelsea (D1), as many as they had in their previous 20 visits to Stamford Bridge (D7 L10).

    3. Arsenal have won their last six Premier League London derby matches by an aggregate score of 22-3. They’ve won three of these six games by 5+ goals, having won just one of their first 295 such games by such a margin.

    4. Chelsea have conceded at least once in each of their last six Premier League home games, last having a longer such run between December 2015 and August 2016 (13). With five of those games coming in 2024-25, it’s their longest run without a home clean sheet from the start of a league campaign since 2011-12 (6).

    5. Arsenal have lost 2-0 to Bournemouth and 1-0 to Newcastle in their last two Premier League away games. They last lost three in a row on the road in December 2021, while they last did so without scoring in August 1994.

    Injuries and Suspensions for Chelsea

    1. Cole Palmer – Knee Injury

    2. J. Sancho – Illness

    3. O. Kellyman

    Injuries and Suspensions Arsenal

    Read Also: Arteta vows to rejig Arsenal after troubled spell

    1. D. Rice – Foot Injury

    2. T. Tomiyasu – Knee Injury

    3. R. Calafiori – Knee Injury

    4. K. Tierney – Hamstring

    5. K. Havertz – Head Injury

    Chelsea starting lineup (4-2-3-1):

    Sánchez | Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella | Lavia, Caicedo (c) | Madueke, Palmer, Neto | Jackson

    Substitutes from: Jorgensen, Badiashile, Tosin, Veiga, James, Enzo, Mudryk, João Félix, Nkunku

    Arsenal starting XI:

    Raya | White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Rice, Partey, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz

    Substitutes from: Neto, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Trossard, Jesus

    Date and Time:

    Sunday, November 10, 2024; 16.30 GMT; 11:30am EST; 10pm IST, 5:30pm NGA

    Venue: Stamford Bridge

    Referee:

    Michael Oliver (on pitch); Paul Tierney (VAR)

    How To Watch:

    On TV: Sky Sports Main Event (UK); USA, Telemundo (USA); Star Sports Select HD1 (India); SuperSport Premier League, Canal+ (NGA); elsewhere

    Streaming: Sky Go (UK), NBC Sports Live, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (USA); Disney+ Hotstar (India); DStv Now (NGA)

    Head to Head Overall

    Total Matches        Chelsea W        Arsenal W          Draws

             76                         26                     28                  22

    Total Goals         Chelsea   Arsenal

       211                   106          105

  • TITANIC LONDON DERBY: Stanford  Bridge to quake as Chelsea host Arsenal

    TITANIC LONDON DERBY: Stanford  Bridge to quake as Chelsea host Arsenal

    The Premier League game week 11 undercard leads up to the main event at Stamford Bridge  tomorrow’s  afternoon, when Chelsea and Arsenal tussle in a titanic London derby.

    Enzo Maresca’s side are keeping the Gunners out of the Champions League places by virtue of a superior goal difference, and it was the hosts who coincidentally flexed their attacking muscles in midweek.

    Squaring up a team founded five years after their maiden Champions League victory in 2012, Chelsea subjected Armenian minnows FC Noah to the rudest of rude awakenings on Thursday evening, hitting them for an extraordinary eight goals in the English capital.

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    One of six teams in the Conference League to have won each of their opening three games, Chelsea’s astonishing 8-0 triumph on November 7 unsurprisingly leaves them sitting pretty at the summit on goal difference as they chase the continental crown that has consistently eluded their upcoming visitors.

    From rude awakenings to Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Blues needed a touch of Ecuadorian inspiration to avoid losing to the Dutchman’s Manchester United side at Old Trafford last weekend, where a Bruno Fernandes penalty came just four minutes before Moises Caicedo’s exquisite volley.

    One of three teams boasting 18 points from a potential 30 – alongside Arsenal and Aston Villa – the fourth-placed Blues could end the weekend in the top three if they better Nottingham Forest’s result against Newcastle United, and Maresca’s men now have an eight-game unbeaten home run to protect in all tournaments.

    However, the Blues are still yet to keep a Premier League clean sheet at Stamford Bridge this season – going six without one since shutting out West Ham United in May – but Arsenal have hardly pulled up trees on the attacking front in the early period of November.

    Whether it was St James’ Park or San Siro, the outcome was the same for Arsenal; a 1-0 defeat with little to no offensive inspiration. After succumbing to a brilliant Alexander Isak header versus Newcastle United, it was a controversial Hakan Calhanoglu penalty that made the difference on Wednesday evening.

    In some ways, Arsenal’s loss to Inter Milan could be described as a game of noughts and crosses; Mikel Arteta’s men attempted an astounding 46 crosses at San Siro, but all of them were for nought, as they slumped to their first continental loss of the 2024-25 campaign.

    Also reeling from the shock resignation of much-admired sporting director Edu, the Halloween period has indeed been one big horror show for Arteta and co, as a three-game winless run in the Premier League has the Gunners fifth in the table and seven points below leaders Liverpool.

    However, not since the 1994-95 season – when most of Arsenal’s players were not even born – have the Gunners lost three straight Premier League away games without scoring, and capital clashes are where they excel, as they have won their last six London derbies by an aggregate score of 22-3.

    That sequence includes a 5-0 dismantling of Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea in the second half of last season, albeit after they were held to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

  • What to know ahead Man United, Chelsea clash

    What to know ahead Man United, Chelsea clash

    Sunday’s super showdown in the Premier League takes us to Old Trafford where the Red Devils take on Chelsea.

    Here are a few things to know before the match kicks off. 

    1. Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 11 home league games against Chelsea (W5 D6), and are looking to win three in a row against the Blues at Old Trafford for the first time since January 1957.

    2. Despite trailing in stoppage time, Chelsea won their last Premier League game against Man Utd 4-3 in April. They last won consecutive league meetings with the Red Devils in March 2011 (a run of three).

    3. Manchester United vs Chelsea is the most drawn fixture in Premier League history, with 26 of the previous 64 meetings between the sides finishing level.

    4. Manchester United have picked up just 11 points after nine Premier League matches this season (W3 D2 L4), their second-fewest after nine games ahead only of 2019-20 (10). The only two times they have lost four of their first nine Premier League games have been in each of the last two campaigns under Erik ten Hag.

    5. Chelsea have named the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this season (23 years, 206 days). In their 2-1 win over Newcastle, they became just the second team in Premier League history to not name a single outfield player aged 25+ in their starting XI for a match, after Aston Villa who did so in two games in 2013.

      Predicted Starting XI 

      Predicted Manchester United XI:Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Casemiro, Ugarte, Fernandes; Rashford, Hojlund, Garnacho

      Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, James; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson

       Venue: 

      Old Trafford 

      Kick Off 

      5:30pm

      Head to Head

       Manchester United and Chelsea played 75 Games since 1995. Among them, Manchester United won 22 games (Total Goals 99, PPG 1.3), Chelsea won 24 (Total Goals 98, PPG 1.3), and drew 29.

      Predictions 

      Over 1.5goals 

    1. Manchester United host Chelsea live on Dstv, Gotv

      Manchester United host Chelsea live on Dstv, Gotv

      Premier League big boys, Manchester United and Chelsea will continue their rivalry at Old Trafford on Sunday,  with bragging rights of their boisterous fans at stake.

      Both teams are separated by six points in the table, with Chelsea in 5th  position and United 14th .

      Following their 2-1 defeat at West Ham last weekend, Manchester United parted ways with their Dutch manager,  Erik Ten Hag on Monday, with another Dutchman, Ruud Van Nistelrooy installed as caretaker coach.

      Having seen his side spank Leicester City 5-2 in a round of 16 Carabao Cup match on Wednesday, the former United striker will be in the dugout for his first Premier League game as a coach on Sunday. Chelsea were bundled out of the Carabao Cup after a 2-0 defeat away at Newcastle and now visit a ground where they haven’t won a league match since 2013. Watch the match live on DStv channel 203 and GOtv channel  66, at 5:30 pm tomorrow.

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      Arsenal will travel to Saint James’ Park to face Newcastle in the early kick-off match today,  live on DStv channel  203 and GOtv channel  66, at 1:30 pm. Reliable defender,   Gabriel Magalhaes is a doubt for the Gunners, while captain, Martin Odegaard, is out with an ankle injury.  Arsenal lost the corresponding fixture 1-0 in controversial circumstances last season, after which their manager, Mikel Arteta, described the officiating as “a disgrace”.

      In the other Premier League matches Bournemouth will host Manchester City,  Liverpool host Brighton, and Tottenham Hotspurs host Aston Villa. All Premier League matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport channels available on DStv and Gotv.

      La Liga champions, Real Madrid will have to put their Clasico defeat and Ballon d’Or disappointments behind them as they travel to Valencia this weekend. Watch the match live on DStv channel  204 and GOtv channel  62 at 9 pm on Saturday.  In the other La Liga futures, Atletico Madrid will face Las Palmas; Barcelona will host city rivals Espanyol; Kelechi Iheanacho’s Sevilla will host Real Sociedad; while Athletic Bilbao will face Real Betis. All the matches will be broadcast live on DStv channel  204 and GOtv channel  62.

    2. Chelsea Enzo Fernandez’s wife announces separation

      Chelsea Enzo Fernandez’s wife announces separation

      Valentina Cervantes, the wife of Chelsea footballer Enzo Fernandez, announced they are separating.

      The Argentine Fernandez and Cervantes have two children: a son born last year and a girl born in 2020. 

      Following the announcement, Cervantes asked supporters not to start arguments after announcing the split on Instagram.

      “Enzo and I have decided to take some distance from each other today,” she wrote in an Instagram story. 

      “But we will always be family, and we will support each other in everything. Because there are two children involved who need a lot of love from us.

      “I know the person Enzo is and what an excellent father he is, as well as the heart he has. And that is enough for me. Please don’t try to create conflicts where there are none.”

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      According to reports in Argentina, Fernandez has told Cervantes he “feels the need to experience the stage he skipped by choosing family early on.” As such, the 23-year-old has reportedly expressed a desire to live alone.

      Fernandez, who cost Chelsea £105million when he joined from Benfica in January 2023, has endured a tough campaign despite being added to the Blues’ leadership group. He captained the Blues in six of their first seven Premier League games, but has since lost his starting spot to Romeo Lavia.

      Manager Enzo Maresca appeared frustrated by the Argentina international during Wednesday’s defeat at Newcastle, turning his back after Fernandez misplaced a pass to give Chelsea’s opponents a sight of goal.

    3. Liverpool edge Chelsea  to reclaim EPL top spot

      Liverpool edge Chelsea  to reclaim EPL top spot

      Liverpool passed a major test of their Premier League title credentials to move back to the top of the table by beating Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday.

      Mohamed Salah’s penalty and Curtis Jones’ winner made it 10 wins in 11 games for the Reds since Arne Slot took charge.

      Nicolas Jackson briefly levelled for Chelsea in the second half, but they slipped to a first league defeat since losing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season.

      Victory takes Liverpool one point ahead of City and four clear of Arsenal, who they face at the Emirates next weekend.

      Chelsea are now seven points off the top down in sixth, but there was plenty cause for optimism for the Blues from a performance that stretched Liverpool to their limits.

      Liverpool’s only defeat under Slot came to Nottingham Forest following September’s international break.

      The Dutchman responded by this time leaving all of his South American internationals – Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez – on the bench after their exertions in recent days across the Atlantic.

      The decision to hand Jones just his second league start of the season proved an inspired one as the England international won Liverpool’s penalty and scored the decisive goal.

      Chelsea were fortunate still to have 11 men on the field after just six minutes when Tosin Adarabioyo hauled down Diogo Jota.

      The Portugal international was still a long way from goal but the incident was almost identical to the one that saw Arsenal defender William Saliba sent-off in a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday.

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      Having survived that scare, Chelsea settled nicely into their rhythm and pushed the home side back by dominating possession.

      However, Liverpool’s pace on the break was a constant threat and Chelsea were caught out when Salah fed Jones, who was chopped down by Levi Colwill.

      Salah slammed home his 10th  goal against his former club from the resulting penalty.

      Moments later, Cody Gakpo slotted in at the end of a lightning Liverpool counter-attack, but Salah had strayed offside before delivering the assist.

      At the other end, Jackson smashed off the angle of post and bar in the first sign that Chelsea had some punch to their possession football.

      Chelsea, though, had another escape just before half-time when referee John Brooks initially pointed to the spot once more when Jones went down under a challenge from Robert Sanchez.

      VAR intervened, however, as the Spanish goalkeeper got a touch on the ball before making contact with Jones.

      Within three minutes of the restart for the second half, the Blues were back level as VAR played another helping hand for the visitors.

      Jackson latched onto Moises Caicedo’s through ball and coolly slotted past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal in eight Premier League games.

      The Senegalese striker was ruled offside on the field, but was shown to be played on by Ibrahima Konate on replay.

      Liverpool took just three minutes to restore their lead as Jones timed his run perfectly to control and flick in Salah’s cross.

      Chelsea forced Slot’s men to defend their lead for the final 40 minutes but struggled to create clear-cut chances for the equaliser until seven minutes of stoppage time.

      Renato Vega headed over Cole Palmer’s free-kick before Christopher Nkunku failed to get a telling touch to Pedro Neto’s teasing cross.

    4. CLASH OF TITANS AT ANFIELD

      CLASH OF TITANS AT ANFIELD

      • Slot faces real tough test against Chelsea

      Headlining the return of Premier League football following the international break, Liverpool and Chelsea collide in a clash of the titans at Anfield tomorrow’s afternoon.

      The Reds lead the way at the summit of the standings thanks to their 1-0 triumph over Crystal Palace before the hiatus, while the Blues were stunted in a 1-1 draw versus Nottingham Forest.

      Records have been tumbling at the feet of Liverpool head coach Arne Slot since the Dutchman stepped into Jurgen Klopp’s enormous shoes, and the former Feyenoord boss oversaw his eighth win from nine matches in charge at Selhurst Park two weekends ago.

      An early Diogo Jota strike was the difference on that occasion, but the result was partially overshadowed by another serious injury to long-serving goalkeeper Alisson Becker, as 23-year-old debutant Vitezslav Jaros saw out the slender victory in between the posts.

      While that success ensured that the Reds would be sitting pretty at the top of the standings for a fortnight, they could be bumped down to second on Saturday if Arsenal overcome Bournemouth, and Manchester City defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers at 2pm on Sunday would demote them to the bronze medal position before kickoff.

      Slot and co will not be concerning themselves with such hypotheticals as Liverpool chase a seventh win on the bounce in all tournaments, though, and the Reds’ defensive foundations remain as solid as ever, with just two goals shipped in the current Premier League campaign.

      Furthermore, Liverpool’s seven top-flight outings so far this term have seen the Merseyside powerhouses give up a mere 5.2 Expected Goals (xG), but the Reds’ defensive mettle will be tested to the extreme by their goal-happy visitors on Sunday.

      After Slot became just the fourth manager in Premier League history to win each of their first four away games in the competition, his opposite number Enzo Maresca can become the fifth member of that exclusive club by halting Liverpool’s momentum this weekend.

      The Blues could have been forgiven for asking Nottingham Forest – Liverpool’s only conquerors this season – for tips on how to best Slot’s side a fortnight ago, but their enthralling encounter with the Tricky Trees instead descended into chaos across 105 unmissable minutes at Stamford Bridge.

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      Goals from Chris Wood and Noni Madueke saw the spoils split as Chelsea’s five-game winning run came to an end, but the day no doubt belonged to the men in the gloves, as Robert Sanchez and Matz Sels – the last line of defence for a 10-man Forest side – made a string of wonderful stops to preserve a point for their teams.

      Even a win for Chelsea would not have improved their fourth-placed standing in the Premier League table, but the Blues arrive on Merseyside with the second-best attacking record in the division; their 16 goals scored is only inferior to Manchester City’s 17.

      The visitors – who also saw Maresca and Cole Palmer complete a Manager and Player of the Month double for September – could now win each of their first four away games of a top-flight season for the first time since 2008-09, but a nine-game winless run versus Liverpool, who have not lost to the Blues since March 2021, does not stand them in good stead.

    5. Liverpool‘s Slot faces  first  big test at Chelsea as EPL  returns

      Liverpool‘s Slot faces  first  big test at Chelsea as EPL  returns

      Liverpool manager Arne Slot has enjoyed a record-breaking start to his tenure at Anfield but has been measured in his response as he says they have yet to face a top side, although that is all about to change with the visit of in-form Chelsea.

      Dutchman Slot, the first Liverpool manager to win nine of his first 10 games in charge, must now steer the leaders through a tough schedule, with a gruelling run of 10 games in three competitions that could go a long way to shaping their season.

      Liverpool have 18 points after seven games, having scored 13 goals and conceded two, to stand a point ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal, while Chelsea are fourth on 14.

      “I looked at the league table and ‘OK, which teams did we face until now and which position are they? Are they in the top half or the bottom?’” Slot said of the schedule so far.

      “There are a lot of difficult teams we still have to face … let’s see where we are then when it comes to conceding goals because maybe the fixture schedule has been ‘nice’ to us when you see the league table.”

      Chelsea have won all three of their league games on the road this season by a combined score of 10-2.

      Liverpool’s gruelling stretch of matches, which includes a trip to Arsenal on Oct. 27 and the visit of Manchester City on Dec. 1, is lousy timing considering first-choice goalkeeper Alisson is expected to miss most of it.

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      The Brazilian is set to be sidelined with a hamstring injury until the league game at Southampton on Nov. 24.

      They have been known on a global basis as the city that can make things happen, brings great events, reflects the best of America.

      Slot, however, is confident his number two, Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher, can fill in seamlessly.

      “Alisson is our clear number one,” the 46-year-old Dutchman said. “(He is) the best goalkeeper in the world so it’s always a blow when he gets injured. But in almost every position we have a second option that is also really good.

      “Caoimhin Kelleher has already shown that.”

    6. Chelsea, Forest charged over unruly fans

      Chelsea, Forest charged over unruly fans

      Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have been charged by the Football Association for failing to control their players after a mass confrontation during Sunday’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge.

      However, no action will be taken against Nicolas Jackson after the Chelsea forward appeared to slap, external Forest’s Morato, as players from both sides clashed towards the end of the match, which ended 1-1.

      Tempers had flared after Forest’s Neco Williams had appeared to push defender Marc Cucurella off the pitch.

      The incident involving Jackson and Morato was reviewed by the video assistant referee at the time.

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      “It’s alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players didn’t behave in an improper and/or provocative way around the 88th  minute,” the FA said in a statement.

      Both clubs have until tomorrow to respond to the charge.

      Three players were booked following the clash – Williams for Forest and Cucurella and Levi Colwill for Chelsea.

      A total of six players were booked for the Blues throughout the match, meaning they are the subject of an automatic £50,000 fine after accumulating six or more bookings for the second time this season.