It’s an all-London affair in Florida tonight as the capital’s rivals face off in the Florida Cup final in Orlando. With the new Premier League season now less than two weeks away, we should be treated to strong starting lineups and a few debuts.
Both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira battle for their first minutes as Arsenal players. The defender officially joined from Manchester City yesterday, but has already trained with his new team-mates, including Vieira, who shook off the foot injury that has so far prevented him from making his Gunners debut.
For Chelsea, fans should get a first good look at Kalidou Koulibaly, and perhaps even in the starting line-up, after the new signing sat out the shocking loss to Charlotte FC. Raheem Sterling came off the bench this week for his Blues debut and will expect a longer run tonight. Follow the Florida Cup final live with our blog below, featuring expert analysis from Nizaar Kinsella at Camping World Stadium!
Live updates
Predicted Lineups
For example, we expect that both sides will be lining up in Orlando tonight…
Arsenal predicted the base: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tavares; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus
Chelsea predicted the base: mendy; Chalobah, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Jorginho, Kovasic, Chilwell; Pulisic, Havertz, Sterling
Arsenal vs Chelsea Prediction
Arsenal have enjoyed the better pre-season record, thanks to their ability to get out of the blocks faster in the transfer market.
While the result is unlikely to affect the actual Premier League campaign, the Gunners could take a confidence-building victory in Florida.
A 2-1 Arsenal win.
News from the Chelsea team – First Blues outing for Koulibaly?
Speaking of new signings, Chelsea could make a debut for Kalidou Koulibaly tonight, after the former Napoli defender sat out Charlotte FC’s shocking shootout defeat mid-week.
Raheem Sterling is also hoping to make an impact on his likely first start tonight after a quiet debut off the bench against the MLS outfit.
Kai Havertz and Mason Mount should also come in from the get-go, while the likes of Conor Gallagher and Ethan Ampadu look to stake their respective claims for regular roles under Thomas Tuchel.
However, Timo Werner and Ross Barkley are still battling injuries, while rowdy captain Cesar Azpilicueta is in doubt, along with compatriot Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal team news – Debuts for Zinchenko and Vieira?
Emile Smith Rowe, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are all missing for Arsenal tonight, along with goalkeepers Bernd Leno and Alex Runarsson, but we could see debuts for newly signed Oleksandr Zinchenko and fellow summer recruit Fabio Vieira, who is fit after shuffling a foot problem .
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey could all get into Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup as preparations get underway for their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on August 5.
How to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea
TV channel: Tonight’s match will not be broadcast live on TV in the UK.
Live Stream: Both clubs will be showing the game through their official websites and apps, with Arsenal charging £5.99 for a match pass. However, fans who purchased a pass for the Orlando City win will also be automatically registered to watch this match.
Meanwhile, Chelsea is streaming the game for free through their website and the 5th Stand app.
Welcome to Arsenal vs Chelsea LIVE coverage!
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of a heavyweight, all-London pre-season friendly clash!
Well-known capital enemies Arsenal and Chelsea are closing their horns in the Florida Cup final tonight as both sides look to end their respective summer tours of the US in Orlando on a positive note.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is set to make his debut tonight with newly signed Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira, as Kalidou Koulibaly pushes for his first Chelsea appearance, with Raheem Sterling also ready to impress in a Blues shirt.
Kick-off is at 1am BST, so stay tuned for match-building, team news, thoughts from both sides and live match updates, with expert analysis from our very own Nizaar Kinsella at Camping World Stadium!