Arsenal must prepare for ‘battle’ with Costa, says Wenger

888Sport are offering new customers enhanced odds of 11/2 on over 3.5 goals in Arsenal v Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

Cech’s glove manufacturers, Adidas, mistakenly sent a new pair to Cobham, south-west of London, rather than Arsenal’s base at London Colney, north of the capital, on Wednesday, and the goalkeeper – who only left Chelsea in pre-season – turned up in person to collect them.

Alongside Fabregas, John Obi Mikel should start in the Central Midfield as he has been Chelsea’s best “holding midfielder” in the past few games, and even performed well against Everton.

Arsenal fans have bitter memories of their 2-0 loss to Chelsea earlier in the year when Diego Costa borderline-brutalized several of their players and hardly received a single card from the referees. He helped them retain the FA Cup last season and finish in third place and has targeted more glory with the club this campaign.

Winless in eight since 2011, and with just four victories in 12 years, Arsenal have gone almost 500 league minutes without so much as a goal past Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois.

Three of the last four Premier League meetings between these two sides at the Emirates have ended as goalless draws.

Chelsea have hardly shot up the table since Guus Hiddink was appointed as manager, but they are yet to lose under the Dutch manager and will likely set up to frustrate the Gunners.

Definitely the underdogs in this match, Hiddink will look to make his players give their utmost. But a win would surely lift their spirits and put a huge dent in Arsenal’s title bid.

Diego Costa might also be fit to lead the attack after bruising his shin last week against Everton while Radamel Falcao will remain on the sidelines.

The Sun claim that with his current side in the hunt for their first title since 2004 and with the club’s scouting sytem now fully overhauled Wenger is ready to commit his future to the Londoners.

Adidas, Cech’s glove sponsor and Chelsea’s kit supplier, appeared this week not to have realised the goalkeeper had moved on after 11 years, sending his gloves to the Blues’ Surrey training base.

“It’s a big game because of the quality of the players”. “I think this season there have been exceptional circumstances for them and they will be back”.

The game could be “significant” for the Gunners’ title hopes, says Mark Lawrenson of the BBC, and the omens are good.

“For us to have a chance to do well until the end of the season, we have to take care of that”.

“One day good or half a game good and another day less consistent”.

“I don’t want to go into the past”, he said, according to Chelsea’s official website.

Arsenal are well-priced with bookies at 21/20 compared to the 29/10 of Chelsea.