LIVE Arsenal VS Chelsea Football Match Score 24 July 2022
Arsenal maintained their 100% record in pre-season when they claimed a 3-1 victory against MLS outfit Orlando City on Thursday. Facundo Torres cancelled out Gabriel Martinelli’s opener on the half-hour mark, but the Gunners responded in the second half with strikes from Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson sealing victory for Mikel Arteta’s side in Florida. The Gunners began their pre-season with a 5-1 win over Ipswich Town and an entertaining 5-3 victory over Nuremburg in Germany earlier this month, before securing a 2-0 success against Everton in Maryland last weekend.
Summer signing Gabriel Jesus did not feature against Ipswich but has since scored three goals in as many games for the club, including a brace on his non-competitive debut against Nuremburg. A London derby against Chelsea is next on the agenda for Arsenal, who have won four of their last six meetings with the Blues across all competitions. The Gunners will finish their pre-season with an Emirates Cup clash against Sevilla next Saturday, before kicking off the Premier League season away against Crystal Palace on August 5.
Chelsea, meanwhile, followed up their 2-1 win over Club America last weekend with a 5-3 defeat on penalties against MLS side Charlotte FC after playing out a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes. USA international Christian Pulisic opened the scoring for the Blues on the half-hour mark and they were seemingly on course to secure a slender win, before substitute Daniel Rios scored a dramatic 92nd-minute equaliser for the hosts from the penalty spot after a foul conceded by Trevoh Chalobah.
In the shootout, a tame effort from 12 yards by Conor Gallagher was comfortably saved by George Marks and proved costly, with Charlotte converting all five of their spot kicks to come out on top against their Premier League counterparts. After facing Arsenal on Sunday, Thomas Tuchel’s side will travel to Italy to face Serie A outfit Udinese in their final warm-up fixture on July 29, before beginning the 2022-23 campaign with a Premier League visit to Frank Lampard’s Everton on August 6.
After a slow start to the summer transfer window, Tuchel has been able to bolster his squad with the arrivals of Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, and further additions are set to be made by the Blues before the end of the window, with centre-back Jules Kounde believed to be their top target at present. London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea will continue their preparations for the new season when they lock horns for a pre-season friendly at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Sunday.
The Gunners have scored 15 goals in their four warm-up matches so far this summer, while the Blues have only played twice this month, following up a victory over Club America with a defeat on penalties to Charlotte FC. Ben White returned to the bench against Orlando and could be in line to start while Fabio Vieira is closing in on making his Gunners debut. Yet injury issues remain for the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Bernd Leno, Emile Smith Rowe, Kieran Tierney and Alex Runarsson.
As for Chelsea, Raheem Sterling made his Blues debut in the clash with Charlotte and could be set to face his former Manchester City team-mate Gabriel Jesus. Thomas Tuchel will also hope to have fellow new signing Kalidou Koulibaly available but Ross Barkley is struggling with a hamstring problem. Chelsea manager Tuchel says he ‘doesn’t understand’ Timo Werner’s comments that hinted at a potential move away from Stamford Bridge.
“I’m surprised, I would be very happy as a young guy having a contract at Chelsea football club. I would be one of the happiest people on the planet,” the Blues boss said. “He needs to get his game time. He has to show quality, take your place and defend your place. “I would be one of the happiest people on the planet having a contract with Chelsea. If he said this, I do not understand.” Supporters have a pre-season London derby to get their teeth into in the early hours of Sunday morning when Arsenal face Chelsea in Florida.
The match represents each side’s last game of their respective pre-season tours to the US, and both will be hoping to snatch the bragging rights and a *very* minor piece of silverware in the form of the Florida Cup. Arsenal come into the match having beaten Orlando City on Wednesday night, while Chelsea slipped to a surprise defeat on penalties to North Carolina’s Charlotte FC. Chelsea have a few injury issues themselves with Timo Werner, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Ross Barkley all missing Wednesday’s penalty shootout defeat to Charlotte FC in North Carolina.
Werner and Barkley are both struggling with hamstring issues, while Azpilicueta was hurt in a collision with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in training. Kepa has a minor knock that is causing him slight pain in his movements, according to head coach Thomas Tuchel. The London rivals will draw to a close their respective tours of the United States under a fortnight away from the new Premier League campaign kicking off.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have enjoyed a 100 per cent winning record in their friendlies to date, most recently downing Orlando City having got the better of Nurnberg and Everton. It has been less smooth sailing for Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea, who were beaten in a penalty shootout by MLS side Charlotte on Wednesday having drawn 1-1 in Raheem Sterling’s pre-season debut.
Ben White returned to the bench for Arsenal’s win over Orlando having recovered from a knock. Fabio Vieira is in training ahead of his potential first appearance in a Gunners shirt while issues remain for Takehiro Tomiyasu, Bernd Leno, Emile Smith Rowe, Kieran Tierney and Alex Runarsson. Thomas Tuchel will hope to have Kalidou Koulibaly available for his pre-season debut after the Senegal defender sat out the Charlotte clash. Ross Barkley is contending with a hamstring issue while Timo Werner, Cesar Azpilicueta and Kepa Arrizabalaga all missed the penalty shootout defeat in North Carolina.
