As his team prepares for Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta claims second-placed Chelsea “fully deserve” to be regarded as Premier League title contenders.
After 12 games this year, Arteta’s men are six points clear of second-placed Blues.
After winning 4-1 against arch-rivals Tottenham and 3-1 defeating German giants Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the pair are now in good spirits.
Following three straight victories in the league and a thumping 3-0 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday, Chelsea’s tails are also up.
Chelsea’s youngster, under the leadership of Enzo Maresca, are still viewed as outsiders who want to win the Premier League.
Arteta, who won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup last year, does not, however, undervalue his opponents.
He told reporters on Friday, “I believe we are all there, and they (Chelsea) are there because they fully deserve to be.”
“What they have done over the past few years, I believe, is very, very positive and they deserve to be there,” he said. “The squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have, the number of coaches they have, make sense.”
The former midfielder from Spain and Arsenal said he found watching Chelsea to be one of his favorite teams.
They are very clear about their goals, he said, and that is why they are very tough because of that. They have a lot of fluidity, a lot of threat, a lot of individual talent, and a lot of individual talent.
“It’s a big game, a big London derby, obviously.” We’re going to face a formidable adversary. We are fully prepared for it because they are in excellent form, and we are aware of the challenge and opportunity we have on Sunday.
Source: Channels TV
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