THE best team in Europe will take on the best team in England when Arsenal visit Chelsea in a clash of the Premier League’s top two in the late game at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.
Widely expected to win a first league title in more two decades, Arsenal are now roundly being touted as the in-form team in European football.
No one is disputing that, apart from a handful of die-hards from a few different corners of the continental game.
By and large, they certainly do appear to be the best there is in England now, with 14 wins and two draws from their last 16 fixtures across the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cup competitions.
Of course, we’re still only in November and have a long way yet to go, but the signs are there that Mikel Arteta has the makings of a champion side at his disposal – at last.
Arsenal’s detractors have pointed out with some degree of validity that they have been in this position at this stage of the season before and have come up short – on more than one occasion.
Indeed, the Gunners have been runners-up in the English Premier League in each of the past three campaigns.
And after having spent more than £250mil (RM1.36bil) in the off-season, bringing in some real quality to play alongside established stars, Arteta will know that there will be no room for excuses this time, should they not deliver.
But such has been Arsenal’s ride so far this season, that there are many – some outside of the Emirates included – who believe they could well win the Premier League and Champions League this season with the squad of players.
That sort of talk is nothing short of admiration for the Gunners and they can justifiably take it as a compliment.
What they shouldn’t do is now sit back on their laurels and for some reason believe that they won’t get knocked off that pedestal.
If they do – make sure they will find themselves with their faces in the dirt again.
But that’s an unlikely scenario, and that conviction comes from the knowledge that the Gunners do now have players with solid leadership qualities and maybe none more so than England international midfielder Declan Rice.
Arsenal’s number 41 and England’s number 4 has been hugely influential in the Gunners’ quite outstanding run since their narrow defeat at the hands of Liverpool at the end of August.
All through September, October and this month, Rice has been ever-present, leading by example with or without the ball, and on or off the pitch.
With skipper Martin Odegaard spending a fair amount of time on the sidelines because of injury, Rice has led the London side with great distinction.
And as they now move into the next phase of their assault on the league and Champions League – with the Carabao League Cup and FA Cup also coming into focus over the next few weeks – his presence could well prove pivotal to how well Arsenal finish this season.
Rice’s contribution to their bid of toppling Chelsea in their own backyard tomorrow should again give us some idea as to just how important he is to Arteta’s title pretenders.
But make no mistake – this is by no means a one-man team, far from it.
What makes Arteta’s tilt at the title more meaningful than it ever has been, is that he now has a well-rounded and supremely balanced unit that can beat any side they come up against.
Mighty German champions Bayern Munich felt the full wrath of Arsenal in midweek, when they were handsomely thumped 3-1 at the Emirates.
In goal Arsenal have a settled David Raya, who has proven on numerous occasions to be a formidable and reliable stopper.
Summer signings – defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi, attacking midfielder-winger Eberechi Eze and tall Swedish strikers Viktor Gyokeres are beginning to show returns on Arsenal’s investments.
Dutch defender Jurrien Timber, who has less than 50 appearances for the club, is also beginning to prove an asset in Arteta’s armoury.
The contributions of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli up front have long proven valuable, and so too has the central defensive pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, when they are fit.
Playing together, they are considered by many to be the best in that position in the England game.
But against Chelsea, the latter is expected to be absent again, ruled out with the injury picked up last week, and which kept him out of the win over Bayern.
All the same, the Gunners and their faithful following will be keen on victory again, even if it is at the expense of their London neighbours this time.
But Chelsea, who themselves seem to have found a new lease of life, are not expected to just roll over.
On the contrary, Enzo Maresca’s side are now in the title conversation, second in the standings behind the Gunners, albeit six points adrift.
And a win for the Blues would really open things up again.
A three-point lead in this league is not much to go on about and everyone who is someone, knows it.
Chelsea might be boosted by the return of Cole Palmer at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
The forward has been ruled out with injury since September and his return would be seen as a massive life for the home side, even if he only plays a bit-part in the game.
Brazil teenager Estevao Willian, 18, who lit up the Champions League in midweek with a wonder strike in their 3-0 win over European giants Barcelona, is likely to draw a good amount of special attention from Arsenal’s rearguard.
Thus, with all things considered, this fixture should make for a captivating clash in London tomorrow.
