"They can compete with any team" - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta delivers honest verdict on Chelsea ahead of blockbuster Premier League clash
Mikel Arteta has backed Chelsea to compete for the Premier League title ahead of their clash with Arsenal. The Spaniard believes that the Blues have a good squad and a manager who has clear ideas.
Speaking to the media, Arteta stated that he understands the plans set out for Maresca for Chelsea. He believes that the Blues were in the mix for the title this season as they have a highly talented squad. He said via GOAL:
"From the moment I watched them play in pre-season, understanding how Enzo works and the talent they have in the squad, they were contenders to even win it from the beginning. They have so much there.
"The moment that everything lies together and they find that connection, energy and consistency, I think they can compete with any team. [On Maresca] He's a magnificent coach. He's very clear what he wants to do, he's been very clear what he wants and how he does it. I really like the way his team plays."
Chelsea travel across London to face Arsenal on Sunday (March 16) in the Premier League. The two sides are separated by six points, with the Gunners sitting 2nd with 55 and the Blues in 4th with 49.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca wants to close the gap on Arsenal
Enzo Maresca has admitted that the gap between Chelsea and Arsenal is too big. He believes that they need to get closer to the Gunners soon and not focus on how far ahead their opponents are right now.
He said via Chelsea's official website:
"The gap right now is quite big, and the reason why is because they are working with the same manager for five years, so the difference is quite important. With the same players, they have already played in some important games, but our target and duty is to close that gap between us and them.
"In this moment, the table shows the difference is six points, so we are quite close and have ten games to go. We’re not focused on whether they can be three, six or nine [points ahead]. We are focused on our game and how we try to beat them. Hopefully, we can beat them and we will be closer."
Both teams come into the match after advancing to the next round of their respective European competitions. Chelsea won 1-0 at home to seal a 3-1 aggregate win over Copenhagen in the UEFA Conference League, while Arsenal drew 2-2 at home to PSV but won the UEFA Champions League tie 9-3.
