Arsenal vs Chelsea: 5 key player battles that could grace the London Derby | Premier League

Last season, a mix of poor decisions by an in-form Chelsea side ended with Arsenal making their first league double over their city rivals since 2003.

As Ian Wright put it:

"That's a terrible back-pass by Jorginho, saved by Kepa but tucked in by Emile Smith Rowe!"

But this time around, the Gunners will be facing a different animal.

Chelsea defied the odds to win the Champions League last season after replacing club legend Frank Lampard with Thomas Tuchel in the managerial position. With the Super Cup sealed last week, the next objective for Tuchel's XI will certainly be the Premier League.

Meanwhile, the quest for European football resumes again this season for Mikel Arteta and his men. But the first passage of play hasn't been very smooth for Sunday's home team. They were beaten by promoted side Brentford on opening day. A win over Chelsea would not only be a statement of intent, but also some much-needed redemption from a shocking first loss.

With that in mind, here's a look at the top five player battles that could be key in deciding whether London will turn red or blue this Super Sunday.

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#1 Bukayo Saka vs Marcos Alonso

Marcos Alonso scored Chelsea's first goal of the Premier League season last weekend.

Due to his Euro 2020 contribution, Arsenal's young star Bukayo Saka came off the bench to roaring applause from both sets of fans in the Brentford game last weekend. But having gotten a few minutes on the board, the 19-year-old is expected to start against Chelsea this weekend.

Playing in the right-wing position, he will be face-to-face with Chelsea's Marcos Alonso, who was a revelation for the Blues last weekend. The Spaniard raised the roof at Stamford Bridge as his free-kick hit the back of the Crystal Palace net to give the Champions of Europe their first goal of the season.

Naturally, with Alonso being a very advanced wing-back, there will be a huge amount of space left behind him to exploit, which Saka is expected to play into. This could turn the game on its head as this contest will surely be decided on finer margins.

The Premier League is aware of Alonso and Saka's attacking abilities as wing-backs or outright wingers. But we could be in for some defensive additions to their game this Sunday.

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#2 Emile Smith Rowe vs Jorginho

Smith Rowe scored the last time these two sides met at the Emirates.

It is going to be a big year for Arsenal's new number 10 as Emile Smith Rowe attempts to replicate his goal-scoring performance against the Blues again this week. But Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will be very much aware of the 21-year-old midfielder's capabilities and plan accordingly.

Smith Rowe will be neck-and-neck against a familiar foe who was a big part of the Arsenal goal last time around - Jorginho. With his mistake granting the Gunners their league double over their rivals, the Italian regista will be aching to get on the pitch and put up a masterclass.

Jorginho has had a stellar summer, winning the Champions League and then the Euros with Italy. He is known for controlling the tempo of the game, and on his day, is good enough to be considered one of the best. But Smith Rowe brings with him agility as well as quick reflexes, which could put the Chelsea midfielder in some trouble and prove pivotal in deciding this tie.

#3 Ben White vs Romelu Lukaku

Ben White has made Arsenal break their bank, this summer.

When talking about key player battles for this game, one simply cannot leave out two of the most expensive signings for either side - Arsenal's Ben White and Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku. Coincidentally, they will come face-to-face in the first London derby of the season this weekend.

White has been the most talked about signing in the red half of London this summer. The Gooners got their wish when the club announced the onboarding of the Brighton centre-back earlier last month. He is considered to be the final missing piece of the defensive puzzle that Arteta has been trying to solve ever since he came onboard last season.

Meanwhile, the other half of London, which welcomed the Champions League trophy for the second time, have been waiting for their eternal son from Belgium to grace Stamford Bridge. Big Rom is back in the Premier League. More importantly, with the Serie A winner having trained in the Inter Milan camp in the summer, he is ready to start for Tuchel's Chelsea this Sunday.

White will go up against the Chelsea striker's trademark style of facing away from goal and excellent ball control. Meanwhile, the Belgian will be hoping to silence critics of his poor Manchester United form from last time around. This has to be the biggest battle of the weekend for sure.

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#4 Granit Xhaka vs Mason Mount

Mason Mount is hands down the most explosive attacking player of Tuchel's Chelsea.

Another key battle that could ensue in the middle third, fairly in the Arsenal half, could be Granit Xhaka taking on the challenge of the fluid Mason Mount. Xhaka impressed with his performances at the Euros this summer and has been heavily linked with a move away from Arsenal. Meanwhile, Mount has been a hero around whom this current Chelsea squad has been building for quite some time now.

The England international, who is a product of Chelsea's academy, has been very instrumental in every Blues win despite failing to get on the scoresheet. His role was to create havoc in the half-spaces, while trying to pull the opposition out of position, eventually creating space for his teammates.

It will be very crucial for Xhaka to deal with this attribute that Mount displays week-over-week for Chelsea. Meanwhile, with Tuchel demanding some pressing in the opposition half, Mount will be wary of the Swiss midfielder's physical abilities. Not to mention his capabilities to progress the ball with ease.

This key head-to-head clash will decide who dominates the ball's progression through the middle.

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#5 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs Trevoh Chalobah

Aubameyang will be under immense scrutiny if he fails to find the net this season.

The contract extension last summer did not come as a good omen for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as the Gabon international has lost his goal-scoring touch big time since then. With Gabriel Martinelli rising through the ranks, Mikel Arteta could find himself in a tough spot with the Arsenal talisman if he doesn't find the net this season.

Aubameyang will be up against upcoming centre-back Trevoh Chalobah on Sunday. The English centre-back has risen to the occasion after Chelsea failed to sign a high-profile defender this summer. That said, he has put to rest any doubts revolving around his playing time. The 22-year-old not only put up a classic defensive performance against Crystal Palace in the 3-0 win, but also scored his first goal for Chelsea from long-range.

While Saka will be hugging the touchline on the other wing, Aubameyang will surely move inside as the game progresses. That will put him face-to-face with Chalobah. With both players being extremely pacey with or without the ball, it will be an interesting battle to watch this Sunday.