Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has cautioned his side of the threat posed by Chelsea as the Gunners gear for a crucial London derby on Tuesday in the race for the Premier League title.
After securing a 2-0 victory over Wolves, Arsenal reclaimed the top spot in the league, edging past defending champions Manchester City.
Despite sharing the same points as second-placed Liverpool, Arsenal holds a superior goal difference. However, with City trailing by just one point and a game in hand, the title race remains fiercely competitive.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side are unbeaten in eight Premier League matches, securing four wins during this run.
Reflecting on Arsenal’s recent triumph against Wolves, Arteta emphasized its significance following a league setback against Aston Villa and a Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Speaking in his pre-match conference, Arteta stressed Arsenal’s strong position in the Premier League, underscoring their determination to vie for the title. However, he acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by their upcoming opponents.
“We are in a great position in the Premier League,” Arteta said.
“We have been like this for nine months, nine-and-a-half months, and we really want to give it a real go and be determined to do what is in our hands to try to lift that trophy and tomorrow we are going to have a very tough opponent in front of us.”
Meanwhile, Pochettino, speaking at his press briefing, indicated a late decision would be made regarding the fitness of top-scorer Cole Palmer, who missed training due to illness.
Pochettino expressed confidence in his team’s ability to secure victory, emphasizing the importance of collective effort over individual contributions.
“The most important thing is the team and the collective,” Pochettino said.
“He is an important part of the team and is doing fantastic for us, but we are Chelsea, and we have plenty of players that can perform and do the job.”
Arteta further said ninth-placed Chelsea would be dangerous opponents regardless of whether Palmer was fit, praising the squad and “incredible manager” Pochettino.
“Whoever they put out there when you look at the squad they have, the quality they have, it’s great,” he said.
“I think they are doing very, very well. I think they’re doing much better than people are talking.” Arteta added:
“They deserve to be in a much higher position in the league when you look at what they’ve done and what they’ve produced in games.
“They have reached a final (League Cup), they have reached a semi-final (FA Cup), they could have been through. I think Mauricio is doing well and I’m sure he is going to get them there.”
