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Arsenal will host Chelsea in a London derby on Boxing Day. Michael Owen has predicted the Blues to pick up a 2-0 victory against the Gunners.
The former Manchester United man in his prediction column for BetVictor said:
"Chelsea will win 2-0. Where to start with Arsenal? The Gunners are hapless at the moment. Mikel Arteta doesn’t seem to know what his best starting XI is and there is no sign of their fortunes changing any time soon."
''Chelsea arrive here after a solid showing at home to West Ham and I think the Blues should have more than enough going forward to win this against a side that are really struggling in every area," added Owen.
Arsenal come into this fixture in 15th place in the table while Chelsea are 5th, six points off table-toppers Liverpool.
Arsenal and Chelsea seeking three points for markedly different reasons
The Gunners are currently undergoing one of the most difficult spells in the club's history. Their return of 14 points from 14 games marks their worst start to a season in over four decades, and they are just four points off the relegation spots.
More worryingly, Arsenal are struggling to score goals; they have created the lowest number of chances among the 20 clubs in the Premier League. The North London outfit have failed to win any of their last seven Premier League games. They were also eliminated from the League Cup by Manchester City.
Chelsea have also witnessed a mini-slump in the last few weeks but got back to winning ways with a 3-0 win over West Ham last weekend.
The Blues were the biggest spenders in the last transfer window and are expected to mount a title challenge this season.
Despite their improvements, Chelsea still struggle against tougher opposition. Until their win over West Ham, they had failed to pick up a victory against a team in the top half of the table.
The last time the two sides met, Arsenal picked up a 2-1 victory at Wembley to win the FA Cup. However, given the Gunners' recent form that victory seems like a distant memory.
The fact that this is a derby coupled with the Blues' recent struggles, means that the game could go either way. Arsenal need a statement victory to kickstart their season and a win against Frank Lampard's side has the potential to be the turning point for the Gunners.
