When asked whether Chelsea deserve to be viewed as legitimate title contenders, Arteta avoided inflammatory commentary and instead offered a measured assessment of his opponents.
The Spanish manager said: “I think we are all there, and they are there because they fully deserve what they have done in the last few years. I think the squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have, the number of coaches they have, it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there.”
When pressed on whether he still considers Chelsea the league’s most potent attacking side, Arteta added: “They were [the best last season], the sample now this season is early, so it’s difficult to say. But it is one of the teams that I enjoy the most watching and they have a lot of fluidity, they have a lot of threat, they have a lot of individual talent, they are very clear what they want to do and that’s why they are very tough.”
The Sunday fixture is a potential six-pointer for Chelsea as they remain determined to chase down the Gunners in the title race. Three points will not only end the seven-year wait but propel them straight into a championship contender.