Former Chelsea captain John Terry is confident that Xabi Alonso's team can secure a victory against Arsenal at the Emirates. He forecasts a 2-1 win for the Blues, with Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer singled out as potential scorers.
Terry highlights that one of the keys to winning the match lies in pulling Arsenal's central defenders out of their comfort zones and exploiting spaces on the flanks:
How do you break down those central defenders? Through the flanks and on the edges. That’s where we’re particularly strong thanks to Neto, Estevao, and Morgan Rogers.
We need to force the central defenders out of the areas where they feel comfortable and where they cover each other. Once a defender is pushed wide, he is less accustomed to that situation and becomes more vulnerable.
He also warned that Chelsea's swift counter-attacks could pose a significant threat to Arsenal:
If we manage to execute counter-attacks, we’ll have a great chance. Ben White and Calafiori push forward and drift into the middle, so we can search for space high and wide.
Nonetheless, Terry respects the reigning champions and emphasises that the outcome of Sunday's derby won't define Chelsea's entire season:
We must respect them. They are a very good team: they know how to score, defend solidly, and boast a fantastic midfield. It will be a tough test—our first real challenge this season.
But the confidence gained from our first two matches should help our players. I’m backing Chelsea to win 2-1, with goals from Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer.
