"You've just got to be ready" - Rob Holding names advantage Chelsea hold over Arsenal ahead of Premier League clash
Both Chelsea and Arsenal come into the North West London derby on Tuesday (May 2) in very poor form.
Chelsea are without a win in eight games across competitions, losing all five of their games under caretaker boss Frank Lampard. Arsenal, meanwhile, are without a win in their last four league games, drawing three and losing once. Their winless run has been detrimental to their season and has handed Manchester City the advantage in the Premier League title race.
Manager Mikel Arteta and centre-back Rob Holding are both unsure of what to expect from Chelsea in their upcoming league encounter. Speaking at his pre-match presser on Monday (May 1), the Spaniard said, via Metro:
"‘I don’t know what their approach will be. It is very difficult to predict what they will do because they can play in various ways with different players and different qualities as well."
Holding shares a similar concern. The Englishman later told the club's official website:
"That [not having a set approach] plays into their advantage because we don’t really know what to expect. We know the quality that they have. Frank Lampard is back there now, a club legend so he might get them going for a London derby, you never know."
Four different managers have taken charge of Chelsea for at least one game this season. Lampard is currently managing the club in a temporary capacity and has made several changes to the team's tactics in recent weeks.
As per Transfermarkt, Lampard has used four different formations (4-3-3, 3-5-2, 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1) in his last five games as Chelsea's caretaker boss. The Blues have notably played with four central midfielders, three centre-backs and just one out-and-out attacker in their last two games across competitions.
Arteta rules out Arsenal star for Chelsea clash
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will be without William Saliba for their league encounter against Chelsea.
The French centre-back has been one of the Gunners' best players this season, featuring in 33 games across competitions.
He has been sidelined from action since suffering a back injury he suffered in his team's second-leg 1-1 Europa League last-16 draw against Sporting CP on March 9. The Gunners drew the tie 3-3 on aggregate in regulation time before losing 6-4 on penalties.
Saliba's return is still nowhere in sight, with Arteta claiming in his pre-match press, via Football.London:
"He's [Saliba] not going to be involved tomorrow. We will have to wait until the next game to see where we are."
Arsenal have 75 points from 33 games - one fewer than league-leaders Manchester City, who have a game in hand. After their game against Chelsea, they will face Newcastle United in the league on May 7.