'I think they will win!' - Peter Crouch makes bold Arsenal vs Chelsea prediction ahead of huge Premier League clash

Arsenal have enjoyed a flawless start to the new Premier League campaign, sweeping aside Coventry City 3-0 in their opener thanks to goals. Mikel Arteta’s men then showed their grit on Monday night, securing a 1-0 victory away at Aston Villa to maintain their position at the top of the table. However, Crouch believes that run could come to a crashing halt when Xabi Alonso brings his Chelsea side to north London on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking on That Peter Crouch Podcast, the former Liverpool and Tottenham forward expressed his excitement for the upcoming derby, stating: "Great game! Two teams looking good as well. I’m going to put the cat amongst the pigeons and I’m going to go for a 3-2 Chelsea win. I think they’ve announced themselves as title contenders."

It is a bold claim considering Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 meetings with the Blues and are the clear favorites with the bookmakers heading into the weekend.

Chelsea enter the clash with a perfect record of their own, having taken six points from their opening two matches. Under the guidance of Alonso, the Blues' front line has looked devastating, with Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Morgan Rogers establishing themselves as one of the most dangerous attacking units in the division.

Crouch admitted he has been particularly impressed by the impact of Brazilian forward Pedro since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, noting the player's infectious enthusiasm on the pitch.

Discussing the individual quality within the Chelsea ranks, Crouch said: "Pedro, for me, I love watching him play football. He’s a player that enjoys his football and he just looks like he enjoys his football. I’ve been thinking this since the first game against Fulham, I think he’ll get goals this season. I just think he’ll score goals. Neto looks sharp, creative. They’ve got some creative players in that team."

While the attack has been sensational, Chelsea’s defensive stability remains a major talking point. The Blues have conceded five goals across their opening two fixtures against Fulham and Brighton, highlighting a susceptibility that Arteta will surely look to exploit.

Crouch acknowledged that even with the addition of a new world-class goalkeeper, Chelsea are unlikely to keep a clean sheet against the firepower of Saka and Havertz. Expanding on the defensive situation, Crouch noted: "The only problem here [for Chelsea] is defensively, I think Chelsea will concede. I think Chelsea will concede goals, Brighton scored three against them. I think they’ll concede goals but I think there will be goals, it will be interesting to see."

Crouch was full of praise for the recruitment team at Stamford Bridge for landing a player of Emiliano Martinez’s stature for a relatively modest fee, describing the deal as one of the best pieces of business in the current transfer window.

Crouch was glowing in his assessment of the new Chelsea number one, saying: "I love the Emiliano Martinez signing, I think it’s a brilliant signing. How you get a World Cup-winning, dominant leader for £7m in this climate… I think that’s unreal, that’s a great signing."