English legend unexpectedly names the winner of Arsenal vs Chelsea match

Despite Arsenal's devastating form in the Carabao Cup, legend Paul Scholes is convinced that Liam Rosenior's Chelsea will create a huge surprise at the Emirates during the London derby.

The marquee match of round 28 in the 2025/26 Premier League between Arsenal and Chelsea is heating up more than ever, not only due to the intense nature of the title race but also because of contrarian predictions from experts. Even though the "Gunners" are flying high at the top of the table, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has surprisingly tipped the West London side for victory.

Currently, Arsenal leads the league and is a full 16 points ahead of their city rivals. Most recently, Mikel Arteta's squad compounded Chelsea's misery by defeating them with a 4-2 aggregate score in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. However, speaking on the program Overlap, Scholes asserted that the cup competition results do not accurately reflect the reality between the two teams.

He made a bold assessment: "I fancy Chelsea. I think the score could be 0-0. I predict the match will end in a draw or Chelsea will secure a win away from home."

Explaining Arsenal's recent victory in the Carabao Cup semi-final, Scholes suggested it was merely a consequence of Chelsea losing focus in the final moments: "Arsenal only won the second leg because Chelsea were forced to push forward for a goal in the closing minutes, making the game more open. In reality, Chelsea played very well at the Emirates in that match."

Arsenal is under immense pressure in the title race. Although they lead Manchester City by 5 points, Pep Guardiola's side still has a game in hand and a direct clash with the Gunners. Dropping points against Brentford and Leeds United earlier this month revealed cracks in the mentality of Arteta's young team.

On the other side, Chelsea is entering a new era under new manager Liam Rosenior. Despite recent disappointing draws against Leeds and Burnley, "The Blues" remain an extremely difficult opponent. In this season's Premier League first leg at Stamford Bridge, even after Moises Caicedo's early red card, Chelsea resiliently held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw.

Chelsea's goal is to break into the Top 4, where they currently trail Manchester United by 3 points. With a squad fresh from winning the FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea possesses the "old heads" that Scholes believes can counter the exuberance of Arsenal's young players.

This Sunday's London derby is not only a test of Arsenal's championship credentials, but also a chance for Paul Scholes to prove his predictive insight. Will Arsenal continue to flex their strength to move closer to a first title in 22 years, or will Chelsea stage a spectacular upset as foretold by the Red Devils legend?