Chelsea vs Arsenal predictions and betting tips – Rosenior makes Stamford Bridge bow

Having guided Chelsea to a 5-1 victory over Charlton Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday, Liam Rosenior will take charge of his first match at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

The Blues host Arsenal in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final. Who will come out on top in this clash between London rivals?

• Go for an Arsenal win – 6/5 with Paddy Power
• Choose both teams to score and over 2.5 goals – 5/4 with Sky Bet
• Tip Bukayo Saka to score any time – 13/5 with SBK

Chelsea vs Arsenal odds

Find the latest Chelsea vs Arsenal betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Chelsea vs Arsenal predictions

Liam Rosenior could not have asked for a better start to his Chelsea tenure.

In the dugout for the first time since his move from partner club Strasbourg, Rosenior’s Chelsea thumped Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

Charlton are struggling in the Championship, yet the tie nevertheless had the feel of a potential banana skin for Chelsea.

The Blues had only had a few days to work with their new full-time manager following the departure of Enzo Maresca at the turn of the year. 

Rosenior named a weakened side to face Charlton, who were bang up for it against Premier League opposition. Yet in the end, Chelsea proved far too strong for their fellow Londoners.

True, two goals in second-half stoppage time added extra gloss to the scoreline, but a four-goal margin of victory did not feel especially harsh on Charlton.

Whether or not the former Hull City boss is a success at Stamford Bridge remains to be seen. Most Chelsea fans are unhappy with the club’s ownership model, so the fact Rosenior is a company man could work against him.

The supporters are behind him for now, though, even while they maintain feelings of mistrust towards Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbal and the BlueCo project.

Chelsea can still achieve plenty this season. They are in the mix for a top-four finish in the Premier League and are on course to qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League.

A place in the fourth round of the FA Cup was secured courtesy of that thrashing of Charlton, while Chelsea are one of four teams still standing in the EFL Cup.

Arsenal are the favourites in this semi-final, which will conclude with the second leg at the Emirates Stadium on February 3. But a victory here would be invaluable for Rosenior as he sets about making a positive first impression at Stamford Bridge.

“My focus is on the performance of the team,” the new boss said ahead of the Charlton game. 

“I think, if you’re a supporter and you see your team perform – even when they don’t win sometimes – if the players run and fight and give everything for the shirt, you go home happy. That’s what I want for the supporters; that’s what I want to see in the team.”

Chelsea vs Arsenal betting tips

Chelsea face Arsenal in a London derby in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.

Arsenal can triumph

Chelsea more than held their own in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in late November, but a lot has changed at the club since then.

Chelsea have only won one of eight subsequent matches against Premier League opposition, a downturn which has cost them their place in the title conversation.

Yes, they were impressive against Charlton, but it goes without saying that Arsenal are a much stronger side than the Addicks.

Chelsea are in a state of flux and it will take a while for Rosenior to get his ideas across to the squad he has inherited.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are a well-oiled machine and that should carry them through on Wednesday.

Go for an Arsenal win at 6/5 with Paddy Power

Attacking quality on display

The above is not to say that Arsenal will have everything their own way at Stamford Bridge.

Mikel Arteta’s charges will be put under pressure at times, just as they were on their last visit to Chelsea’s ground.

For all their issues, Chelsea have scored in 29 of their 31 matches in all competitions this term. It is a rare occurrence when the Blues do not make the net ripple.

Arsenal should have some joy going forward too, so there is reason to believe this will be an entertaining encounter.

Choose both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 5/4 with Sky Bet

Saka on scoresheet?

With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both back from injury, Arteta suddenly has two alternatives to the struggling Viktor Gyokeres up front.

Havertz made his first appearance since the opening weekend of the season on Sunday, featuring as a second-half substitute against Portsmouth.

Provided he is deemed fit enough, the German is likely to get the nod as Arsenal’s line-leader against his former club Chelsea.

There is also uncertainty over who will start on the left after Gabriel Martinelli’s hat-trick in the FA Cup, so the safest choice in the anytime scorer market is the man guaranteed to be on Arsenal’s right flank at kick-off.

Bukayo Saka is such an important player for the Gunners and he will be key to their chances of victory on Wednesday.

Tip Bukayo Saka to score any time at 13/5 with SBK

Chelsea vs Arsenal predicted lineups

• Chelsea expected lineup: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Delap.
• Arsenal expected lineup: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Trossard.

Where to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal

• Location: Stamford Bridge, London, England.
• Date and time: Wednesday 14th January, 8pm.
• How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

More EFL Cup predictions

We have plenty more EFL Cup predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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