Today’s main event in English football is scheduled for 19:30, when London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal will meet at Stamford Bridge. This match carries huge significance, especially after Manchester City’s loss to Brighton (1-2), as both teams can now close the gap to the champion to within two points with a win. The hot topic in all London media is whether Chelsea’s best player, Cole Palmer, will be fit for the match. The phenomenal midfielder picked up a knee injury in the previous round against Manchester United (1-1), and he has missed training in recent days. He would have missed the match against Armenian side Noah (8-0) in the Conference League regardless, as he isn’t registered for that competition.Ahead of the clash of Pep’s pupils: Maresca confident Chelsea can beat ‘any team’Despite not playing there, Palmer remains the player with the second-highest minutes on the field for Chelsea this season. He has accumulated 915 minutes, with only Moises Caicedo playing more (997 minutes). In his 12 appearances, Palmer has scored seven goals and provided five assists, making him the team’s top scorer and assist provider. His absence would clearly be a significant loss for Enzo Mareska’s team if he misses the derby. The plan is clear. If Palmer isn’t available, Noni Madueke or Pedro Neto will take over his role and lead Chelsea’s attack.“Cole is feeling better. However, just because he can walk and serve himself dinner doesn’t mean he’s fully ready to play. He’s improving, but we’ll wait until the last moment to assess if he can play,” Mareska told reporters.🏴 Cole Palmer: 7 goals, 5 assists 🇩🇪 Florian Wirtz: 7 goals, 1 assist 🏴 Jude Bellingham: 3 assists 🇩🇪 Jamal Musiala: 8 goals, 4 assistsTheir stats so far this season! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/D5M86bNpNO— Sholy Nation Sports (@Sholynationsp) November 7, 2024 On the other hand, Arsenal hopes Palmer won’t play. Any advantage would be welcome, as they are currently on a two-game losing streak, and the atmosphere at the Emirates is not great. Arsenal recently lost 1-0 to both Newcastle and Inter. Interestingly, this will be Arsenal’s fourth consecutive away game, as they previously traveled to face Preston (3-0) in the League Cup. Considering that Arsenal’s last home game was a 2-2 draw with Liverpool, it’s clear Mikel Arteta’s team hasn’t had the ideal period. The upcoming international break will give them a much-needed chance to regroup. Chelsea hasn’t beaten Arsenal in their last five competitive matches. In fact, their only recent positive result came in October last season with a 2-2 draw, featuring a goal from Palmer. However, without their star player, they suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat at the Emirates in April.ENGLAND PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 11SaturdayBrentford – Bournemouth 3-2 (1-1)/Wissa 27, 58, Damsgaard 50 – Evanilson 17, Kluivert 49/Crystal Palace – Fulham 0-2 (0-1)/Smith Rowe 45+2, Wilson 83/West Ham – Everton 0-0Wolverhampton – Southampton 2-0 (1-0)/Sarrabia 2, Cunha 51/Brighton – Man.City 2-1 (0-1)/Joao Pedro 78, O’Riley 83 – Haaland 23/Liverpool – Aston Villa 2-0 (1-0)/Nunez 20, Salah 84/Sunday17:00: (1.42) Man.Utd. (5.00) Leicester (8.00)17:00: (2.75) Nott.Forest (3.20) Newcastle (2.65)17:00: (1.27) Tottenham (6.25) Ipswich (9.50)19:30: (2.85) Chelsea (3.50) Arsenal (2.55)***odds are subject to change***
