We return to Premier League action with a trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, looking to win four consecutive league games against Chelsea for the first time in our history.
Incredibly the Blues have had a different manager in each of those encounters, and Mauricio Pocchetino will be hoping that he is the man to turn the club’s fortunes around, who have found playing in front of their own supporters to be a real problem having won just one of their last 11 home league fixtures.
Stamford Bridge has been a happy hunting ground for us in recent years, and should we maintain our impressive away form that has seen us yet to concede on our league travels this term, we could become the first team to win four-straight matches away to the Blues since 1986.
Poch’s work in progress
Another unprecedented transfer expenditure of over £400 million this summer has yet to really reap rewards for new boss Pochettino, with the Blues in the bottom half of the table after their first eight matches.
Just five points were yielded from their opening five fixtures, with a defeat at West Ham United followed by further losses at home to Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. They now sit on the brink of losing three home league games on the bounce for the first time since November 1993.
However their last three encounters have offered shoots of hope. Brighton were beaten in the League Cup before quickfire goals from Mykhailo Mudryk and Armando Broja won the derby against Fulham. The Blues then recovered from a goal down to thump Burnley 4-1 last time out, as they look to string three Premier League wins together for the first time in over a year.
What the managers say.
Arteta: "It’s a big game and we know that there is a big history between the two clubs and the type of games we have played against them. It’s a very different one I think.
"This season, I’ve been really impressed by Chelsea, they deserve much more than what they’ve got on the table. I think what Mauricio has done in such a short time is phenomenal and we’re going to have to be at our best." - read everything from Mikel's pre-match press conference
Pochettino: "I prefer the tough fixtures. I think we need to win tomorrow. We respect Arsenal, they're a great team and you know very well that Mikel is part of my family.
"From day one when he arrived at Paris, we arrived together, we spent time together, with our families also – first of all in the hotel for the first few months and then we lived very close. It was an amazing history and for me, it hasn't surprised me what he is doing because he was a coach already when he was 17, he really was.
"He was a coach and trust me, he was really, really good with his judgement, how he saw football. It has not surprised me, he's still really young and improving day by day. He can become one of the greatest managers in the world."
Hizi Kima zimemsimanga sana mtoto wa Zelensky kesho lazima awaonyeshe kwa nini aliwakataa Arsenyau na akaamua kujiunga na Blue Army (The Pride of London)
