Arsenal vs Chelsea: 5 players to watch out for | Premier League 2020-21 

Arsenal play Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Boxing Day.
Arsenal play Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Boxing Day.

#3 Willian (Arsenal)

Willian joined Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer
Willian joined Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer.

It will be the first time Willian will play against his former club Chelsea since he signed for Arsenal in the summer.

However, the Brazilian is currently a shadow of his former self; in 12 Premier League games for Arsenal, he only has three assists, with two of them coming in the Gunners' opening day victory over Fulham.

Speaking about Willian, Tony Adams criticised Arsenal's recruitment policy by saying:

“That’s lazy recruitment for me. This is a straightforward agent recommendation, he’s got the same agent as the sports director (Edu). So it’s an easy option for him. Three-year contract, there we go. I think it’s really poor recruitment."

Willian certainly hasn't lived up to expectations at Arsenal, but he knows Chelsea inside out. Despite the player's indifferent form, Arteta could be tempted to call upon the 32-year-old's experience and name him in the starting eleven against the Blues.

The Brazilian could be one player to watch out for, but at this stage, the Arsenal faithful are pretty sure that he is a wrong buy for the club.


#2 Timo Werner (Chelsea)

Timo Werner has not scored in nine games.
Timo Werner has not scored in nine games.

With eight goals and five assists, Timo Werner is Chelsea's top scorer in all competitions this season. The German has also started every Premier League game, and Lampard is certainly going to name the 24-year-old in his starting eleven against Arsenal too.

Although Werner last scored in November, he has had three assists in his last six games, which shows that he is beginning to adapt to the demands of English football.

According to BBC Sport, Werner has produced the most shots for Chelsea (36) and boasts a shot accuracy of 67% this season. Together with Tammy Abraham, the two forwards have racked up a total of nine Premier League goal for the Blues this season.

Currently, Chelsea have scored 29 goals, almost 2.5 times that of Arsenal (12). While Werner hasn't scored in nine games in all competitions, Lampard is backing his striker to find the net soon, saying in this regard:

"As a striker, you want to be scoring regularly, as he has done in his career. But at the same time, every striker has moments where the ball doesn't drop for you for whatever reason."

Playing against Arsenal will be one of the best opportunities for the Chelsea striker to rediscover his scoring form.

The Gunners are nowhere near their best and have put up multiple lacklustre displays in the Premier League this season. So Werner could make the best of this chance to prove his critics wrong.


#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the equaliser against Southampton.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the equaliser against Southampton.

It's another big game which means Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could step up like he did against Manchester United.

The Arsenal forward has scored twice in his last two Premier League games, albeit one of them was an own goal. If Aubameyang recovers in time from his calf strain, it will be a huge boost for the Gunners.

The North London club have been extremely reliant on Aubameyang since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018. That is because, Aubameyang has scored 75 goals in 124 appearances for Arsenal.

He may be struggling for goals this season, but the Arsenal captain is still a key player for his faltering team.

Mikel Arteta will be eager to welcome Aubameyang back from injury, and this upcoming game against Chelsea could provide a test of the player's ability to inspire his side.

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