Arsenal vs. Chelsea Predictions, Picks, and Current Odds for Vital EPL Clash

The biggest match of the young Premier League season takes place later today, as defending champions Arsenal welcome Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium for an absolutely massive London derby.

Both sides enter Matchweek 3 with perfect records, but they’ve taken very different routes to six points. Arsenal have picked up where they left off last season, winning their opening two matches without conceding a goal (nor a shot on target) as Mikel Arteta and co. begin their title defense. Chelsea, meanwhile, have been anything but quiet under new manager Xabi Alonso. The big-spending Blues have scored seven goals and conceded five through two matches, including a wild 4-3 win over Brighton last weekend.

Sunday represents the first real measuring stick for both clubs. Will Arsenal cement their status as the team to beat? Or will this new-look Chelsea side announce itself as a legitimate title contenders?

Ahead of Sunday’s 11:30am ET kickoff, let’s dig into the best Arsenal vs. Chelsea predictions, picks, and the current odds for this EPL showdown.

Arsenal vs. Chelsea Odds

We’re breaking down the Arsenal-Chelsea odds here through the lens of the 3-way moneyline market, which prices in the three possible outcomes for an English Premier League game:

• 🔴 Arsenal to Win: -145
• 🪢 Tie/Draw: +275
• 🔵 Chelsea to Win: +400

Who is favored to win for Arsenal-Chelsea?

Arsenal are the betting favorite to win Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash in North London. Their price to win of -145, according to our handy betting odds calculator, carries a 59% implied probability. Meanwhile the draw at +275 has an implied probability of roughly 27%, while Chelsea’s +400 price to win has a 20% implied probability.

Arsenal vs. Chelsea Predictions

To formulate a few predictions for this one I’m first, as always, taking a spin through the Hard Rock Bet Stats Hub. This is a great source of information, data, and trends to help bettors formulate opinions on sports from the NFL to the EPL. With its help, along with some of my own opinions and observations, my favorite Arsenal-Chelsea predictions are as follows:

Chelsea vs Arsenal Prediction – Over 2.5 Goals (-135)

I like taking the over for the over/under 2.5 goals market for Arsenal-Chelsea, and I like it for a few reasons. Cards on the table, this is going against just about everything that I’m seeing in the Stats Hub that actually points the other direction:

• When facing teams that conceded at least two goals in their previous match, Arsenal have won four out of five by a 1-0 exact scoreline.
• The ‘Both Teams to Score’ market has failed to hit in six of Arsenal’s last seven games.
• The Under 2.5 goals specifically has failed to hit in three of the last four Arsenal-Chelsea fixtures.

I wouldn’t blame you at all for going the other way. But I think we do see some goals on Sunday and here’s why…

• Chelsea can score. Chelsea are off to a blazing start and are the highest scoring team in the league through 2 games with seven goals. They’ve invested heavily in their front line and look very capable of scoring – and equally capable of conceding. Their two games so far this season have featured five and seven goals respectively… we just need three here to cash this one.
• Arsenal can also score. The Gunners were the second-highest scoring team in the Premier League last season in route to their first title in more than two decades. While they are considered to be the most capable defensive side in the world, their back line isn’t fully fit right now. William Saliba is out for an extended period and Cristhian Mosquera, his deputy, came off early last week against Aston Villa and may not be able to take part in this one – meaning a home debut for new signing Ezri Konsa in a high stakes matchup.

So we’ve got one team that seems to be playing high scoring, shootout-style games, and the other that’s stacked with attacking talent and still getting used to their new (albeit extremely talented) defensive set up. Three of the last four Arsenal-Chelsea Premier League fixtures at the Emirates have gone over 2.5, let’s do it again.

Best Anytime Goalscorer Bet for Arsenal vs Chelsea: Kai Havertz +150

I’m going with a player prop here – Kai Havertz has been a quietly efficient goalscorer for both club and country over the last several months. He was on target in the team’s EPL opener against Coventry City in Matchweek 1, and against Manchester City in the Community Shield. He scored three goals in four games for Germany at the World Cup, and he netted the opener in the Champions League Final back in May after a sensational run and finish. He’s developing a reputation as a big game player and this is absolutely a big game.

Further, through the first two weeks of the EPL season Havertz has yet to come off the pitch for Arsenal – cementing his place as the centerpiece of the team’s attack… but even if he does get substituted we’re likely to get a an excellent Super Sup replacement to carry on our bet – like Viktor Gyökeres who led the team in scoring last season. So if you’re giving me Arsenal’s top striker, and 90 minutes to score against a team that’s conceded five goals in two games against Fulham and Brighton – I like it.

Finally, everyone loves a revenge game and this is one for the German striker. There’s no love lost between Havertz and Chelsea, the club he represented for three seasons before making the move to North London. He scored twice and celebrated them both in this same fixture two seasons ago and will have his eyes on doing it again.

Arsenal vs. Chelsea Match Info

• 📍 Location: Emirates Stadium, London, England
• 📅 Date: Sunday, September 6
• ⏰ Start Time: 11:30am ET
• 📺 Where to Watch: USA
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 League: English Premier League