Alan Shearer Exclusive Preview: Chelsea and Arsenal set for fiery clash on Sunday | OneFootball

Alan Shearer

Get Alan's prediction for Chelsea v Arsenal

Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer is full of praise for the start Enzo Maresca has made at Chelsea as the Premier League legend previews Sunday's clash between the Blues and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge...

Chelsea head into their match with Arsenal above the Gunners after 10 Premier League games, and though Arsenal have stumbled recently, it shows how well Enzo Maresca has done at Chelsea, especially when you include the chaotic nature of the club.

He's managed Chelsea well up until now in terms of playing different sides in Europe, the Carabao Cup and in the Premier League. He's got his 14 or 15 players that he wants to use for Premier League football, so he's managed that situation well to this point.

There may be one or two issues with some players not playing as much as they'd like, and Newcastle knocked them out of the League Cup, but Maresca has done a good job. He's managed the situation, atmosphere and the club well.

Maresca has found great partnership in Lavia and Caicedo

We can see the football Maresca wants to play, and he's now got Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo playing good football which means there's no place for £100m World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez. The pair have been brilliant in recent weeks.

Caicedo was the best player on the pitch against Manchester United last weekend. He was head and shoulders above anyone else and he's got a good relationship with Lavia.

It's an expensive midfield but they have a nice combination and what Maresca is trying to do at Chelsea suits Caicedo. You can tell that Caicedo is enjoying playing for Maresca and is able to express himself a lot more this season than he was able to last season.

The midfield is probably where this game with Arsenal will be won and lost. Declan Rice and Thomas Partey against Caicedo and Lavia is a good battle because you're talking about good midfielders that enjoy handling the ball.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was always likely to be squad player

Another midfielder Chelsea have at the club is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and if there's no room for Fernandez, then it's perhaps no surprise there's not for Dewsbury-Hall either.

There's no doubt there is good player in Dewsbury-Hall, but I watched him against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup last week and you could tell he was struggling. Whether that was due to lack of game time, confidence or fitness I don't know, but he was taken off and struggled.

I never felt he'd be a regular when he signed for Chelsea, I always thought he'd be a squad player and if he's happy to do that there then fine, who am I to argue as I don't know his mentality. But I didn't think he'd ever be a regular when he moved to Chelsea.

Arsenal must-not-lose at Stamford Bridge

The game against Chelsea is a 'must not get beat game' for Arsenal. I don't care who you are, the potential of sitting 10 points behind Liverpool is a lot at this level, and they can't afford many more defeats.

I'd guess that they've got another two or three defeats in them as a maximum and even that would leave a mountain to climb, so it's a must not lose game for Arsenal this weekend.

There will be fireworks, and it wouldn't surprise me if we saw a red card or two, but I'll go for a draw on Sunday.

Combined XI - Chelsea and Arsenal

David Raya

Ben White

Gabriel

William Saliba

Marc Cucurella

Declan Rice

Moses Caicedo

Cole Palmer

Bukayo Saka

Gabriel Martinelli

Kai Havertz