This week sees a classic fixture come to us like a present we weren’t expecting, in a midweek Premier League game. Midweek EPL Fixtures are special anyway. There always seems to be a shock result, goals seem to fly in and, of course, it all happens under the lights.
Back in the day, the English Premier League’s classic fixtures numbered few. Arsenal and Manchester United wasn’t really a huge rivalry yet, while Liverpool v United was a mismatch, the Red Devils too good for their North-West foes. Manchester City were rarely in the Premier League.
The Early Days of a Capital Classic
Chelsea vs. Arsenal was always tasty. A year into Arsene Wenger’s tenure at Highbury & The Emirates, Arsenal travelled to Chelsea with players such as Gus Poyet, Dennis Wise and Graeme Le Saux in their team welcoming an Arsenal side marshalled by Patrick Viera and led by a fearsome partnership between Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp up front.
The result? A five-goal thriller that was a brilliant advert for the Premier League and a signpost result in Wenger’s first full season as manager.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R4FJHsrX8c
The Middle Years of Dominance
With the arrival of Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea became less of a football team but more of a machine. Mercilessly grinding Arsenal under their heel at times, the era was best surmised by a late equalizer, however.
Michael Essien’s swerving strike in the Spring of 2007 had no bearing on Chelsea’s season in the end, as Manchester united won the league, their first for three seasons. It did, however, ultimately end the title race by decimating Arsenal’s dreams. Chelsea, who would do this again in 2016 when they killed off Spurs’ hopes of eclipsing plucky Leicester, loved seizing these moments to spoil others’ desires.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhe1sRxHuYE
The Modern-Day Bun Fight
The 2018/19 season saw Sarri and Emery the managers, and they clashed in spectacular fashion as Chelsea raced into a two-goal lead, let it slip, defended like the cast of the Krusty the Clown comeback special then proceeded to win it late on.
Put in clear terms, this was the English Premier League equivalent of two completely bald men fighting to the death for the possession of a comb. It was, as these games often are, magnificent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcTlV7_b5c8
This Year’s Meeting
This season’s Stamford Bridge classic sees both sides enter the game in patchy form to say the least. Chelsea start the game at around 8/11 to win, but have lost eight Premier League games already. They blow hot and cold, but then, they’re up against an Arsenal side who are without suspended striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gunners are 16/5 to win, but the draw is perhaps best value at around 29/10.
Whoever wins, you won’t want to take your eyes off it.
Full Midweek (Gameweek #24) English Premier League fixtures:
Tuesday 21st January
Bournemouth vs. Brighton (7:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Aston Villa vs. Watford (7:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Crystal Palace vs. Southampton (7:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Everton vs. Newcastle (7:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Sheff Utd vs. Man City (7:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Chelsea vs. Arsenal (8:15 pm GMT kick-off)
Wednesday 22nd January
Leicester vs. West Ham (7:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Spurs vs. Norwich (7:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Man Utd vs. Burnley (8:15 pm GMT kick-off)
Thursday 23rd January
Wolves vs. Liverpool (8:00 pm GMT kick-off)
Wednesday 29th January
West Ham vs. Liverpool* (7:45 pm GMT kick-off)
*this rescheduled game completes both sides 24th gameweeks.
