Former Chelsea star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is backing his old club to dent Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes this weekend.
A dominant north London derby victory over Tottenham saw the Gunners open a five-point lead at the highest once more last Sunday with 10 games left to play.
Manchester City do have a game in hand, nonetheless, with the 2 sides also set to fulfill within the Carabao Cup final in March.
Arsenal also head to the Etihad for what may very well be a season-defining match in April but there may very well be plenty more twists and turns before that date.
Mikel Arteta’s side have considered one of their hardest games of the run-in looming this weekend against Chelsea, who they dumped out of the Carabao Cup across two legs.
The Blues did hold Arsenal to a attract the primary Premier League meeting between the 2 at Stamford Bridge back in August, also holding City to a draw on the Etihad in January.
Arsenal have lost at home only once this season to Manchester United with City and Liverpool leaving with some extent.
Your football fix
Metro‘s Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy evaluation, transfer talk and his tackle the week’s biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.
Join here, it’s an open goal.
While Chelsea laboured to a draw at home to Burnley, last week, their former striker Hasselbaink is confident they may leave north London with at the very least some extent.
The following game for Arsenal against Chelsea is the one, I don’t see them winning against Chelsea,’ Hasselbaink told Sky Sports.
‘Chelsea are a wierd form of team, they may exit to an enormous team and get a result, get a draw or get a win. They will try this. That’s just how they’re. We have now seen it.
‘I feel that game for Arsenal can be a lot harder than the Spurs game. Then possibly they [Arsenal and City] are each on the identical points. Then we see who’s up for it.’
Arsenal threw away a two-goal led against Wolves last week, leaving Molineux with some extent three days before their derby showdown with Tottenham.
While Spurs at the moment are being sucked right into a relegation scrap, Hasselbaink didn’t give them any likelihood of landing a blow on their rivals.
And while sensing there may very well be a slip-up this weekend, he continues to be backing Arsenal to recover from the road.
‘I do think they’re the favourites and I do think they’re going to win it, they’ve the strongest squad,’ he said.
But I at all times saw them winning at Spurs. even with the pressure. I never thought Spurs would even get a draw, especially after the Wolves game because when Arsenal have some extent to prove, the vast majority of the time they deliver.’
MORE: Man Utd legends Paul Scholes and Roy Keane disagree over Arsenal vs Chelsea prediction
MORE: Victor Osimhen names the Premier League team he desires to avoid in Champions League
MORE: Manchester United legend warns Michael Carrick he faces ‘conundrum’ this weekend