Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicieta warns teammates to not take Arsenal lightly
Speaking to the club’s official website, Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta has warned his teammates to not take Arsenal lightly in the London derby this weekend.
An uninitiated fan would be forgiven for not understanding the enormity of the clash given both clubs league positions. The Blues are currently fifth while the Gunners are 15th with 11 points separating them.
Arsenal have won just one of the last ten Premier League games and appear ripe for the taking. The game, on paper, should be a stroll but matches like these see the form book go for a toss.
“They are not in their best form but we know their qualities and that they have dangerous players so we have to cope with that.”
Up for grabs is bragging rights and every player will be up for it given the intense rivalry between both the teams.
“We respect them and we know it’s going to be tough but we need points so hopefully we can go there and play our game.”
A win will see us keep up with the teams ahead of us in what is turning to be an exciting title race. This will be the first time that both sides will be meeting after the FA Cup final last season.
The Gunners got the best of us that time around. The Blues have since reinforced and have also grown into a much stronger outfit. Azpilicueta is confident that Chelsea has what it takes to win at the Emirates.
“We have the confidence and belief to do that and obviously we will try to get the points.”
The game may lack the usual top table feel of old, but it is a potential banana skin we need to avoid. Chelsea, if they play to their best, have the squad to win all three points.
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Given the disparity between both sides, Chelsea go into the game as favourites. This means that the pressure will be on us rather than Arsenal.
Azpilicueta is doing the smart thing by ensuring his teammates stay focused and not take the result for granted. After all, Arteta has led the Gunners to wins over Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and even Liverpool in the past.
