Football betting tips: Super Sunday
1pt Martin Zubimendi to be shown a card at 10/3 (Sky Bet, bet365)
0.5pt William Saliba to score anytime at 14/1 (General)
1pt A red card in the match at 11/2 (Sky Bet)
0.5pt Each team to get a red card at 66/1 (Sky Bet)
Joe Townsend
Arsenal head into a second London derby in succession having delivered a statement win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend, thrashing Igor Tudor's hapless team 4-1, shrugging off the impact of a rare Declan Rice error to show the kind of resilience they will need during the run-in if they are to end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title.
Despite the talk of crisis, and undoubted wobbles via unhelpful draws, Mikel Arteta's side remain in superb form. They have lost only one of their last 21 games in all competitions (W15 D5) and have only been beaten three times all season across 43 fixtures.
Chelsea's start to life under Liam Rosenior has been largely positive, but late collapses to surrender points in back-to-back home draws against newly-promoted duo Leeds and Burnley have suddenly increased the pressure.
Prior to those matches the Blues had won every game with their new coach at the helm other than two - a pair of defeats by Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final.
On to the betting and there are a couple of selections I like for this match-up.
No need to labour the point about Arsenal's set-piece strength, with the Gunners' 17 goals and 14.1 xG putting them top of the Premier League charts from dead-ball situations. At the bottom (or the unwanted top) for xG conceded from set-pieces are Chelsea, also with 14.1.
Gabriel (4) and Jurrien Timber (3) have scored seven goals between them this term and have been priced short in the ANYTIME GOALSCORER market as a result.
WILLIAM SALIBA is the only Arsenal defender yet to find the net this term and at a general 14/1 he is worth a small bet against a suspect defence.
During what has been a quiet campaign by his standards as an attacking threat he has been more prominent lately, having an attempt in three of his last 10 appearances. Going especially close against Tottenham - another lax defensive team at set-plays - last weekend when he failed to properly connect with a great chance from inside the six-yard box.
He went close against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge in January too.
Less of a punt is MARTIN ZUBIMENDI TO BE SHOWN A CARD at 10/3.
This is a fixture that has tended to be feisty since Arteta took charge at Emirates Stadium, with six cards in both league meetings last season and seven yellows and a red in west London in November.
Zubimendi is Arsenal's most booked player this season with seven. Only one has not been in either a Champions League fixture or a match against a team in the top five, suggesting he saves his most tenacious performances for the bigger games.
In the reverse fixture the midfielder was carded inside five minutes.
Score prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
Odds correct at 10:30 GMT (27/2/26)
James Cantrill
I’ll stick with the thread of violence Joe started. This is a clash involving Chelsea after all - AKA the Premier League’s bad boys.
The Blues have picked up six red cards in the league this term (most in the division) and eight in total.
In 42 games in all competitions, 12 have seen at least one side finish a man light and one has seen a player for each team get sent for an early bath.
At 11/2 and 66/1 respectively, backing A RED CARD IN THE MATCH and BOTH TEAMS TO HAVE A RED CARD appeals.
Darren England has the whistle at the Emirates.
He has sent off 10 players in 93 top-flight appearances, two this season, he flashed four reds last season, two of which came in one game to land the bigger price.
Arsenal’s discipline in annoyingly good, which is bad for this particular bet, but if you squint and do a bit of amateur psychology I think you can make a case for these angles.
As Joe outlined, Rice dropped a clanger in the north London derby.
In the game before, Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead against basement boys Wolves, the first time a top-four club has managed such a feat against the top-flight's bottom side.
Sure, they beat managerless League One club Wigan in the FA Cup but they were lucky to get a point at Brentford in the game prior.
Some might cry variance or bad fortune but I’ve heard if you go to the Emirates on Sunday and you’re really quiet you can hear some Gunners bums squeaking.
'Tis the season after all and it’s been a while since Arsenal won the Premier League.
Odds correct at 11:15 GMT (27/2/26)
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