Arsenal V Chelsea - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.
Szczesny feels benefits of axing
Wojciech
Szczesny feels being dropped last season may have helped him get back
on course to cement his place as Arsenal's number one goalkeeper.
The
Poland international has kept 11 clean sheets this season for the
Gunners, but could not do much as Manchester City romped to a 6-3 win at
the Etihad Stadium last weekend.
Szczesny will be out to
help Arsene Wenger's side recover what had been the best defensive
record in the Barclays Premier League when they host Chelsea on Monday
night, in a match which could see Arsenal return to the top of the
table.
The 6ft 5ins Pole has certainly produced some
consistent displays this season, which has seen calls for Wenger to
bring in an experienced goalkeeper fade away.
Szczesny, 23,
believes being taken out of the firing line by the Arsenal manager for
the Champions League last 16 second-leg tie away to Bayern Munich in
March helped him regain some focus to return to top form heading into
2014.
"It is hard to tell (because) I don't know what it
would have been like if I wasn't dropped, but looking at my own
performances now it must have been a good decision from the manager
because I feel better, I feel sharper and more confident in myself,"
Szczesny said in the January edition of the official Arsenal magazine.
"That
little break away from the pressure meant that I could focus on my
training to come back sharper, and so far it has worked out pretty well.
"I
think I am very consistent now, I am a little bit more mature and the
back four are helping me out as well, so I would say it is the most
consistent run of my career - but there is still a lot of room for
improvement.
"The experience I have had of playing 130-odd
games for one of the biggest clubs in the world gives you that maturity
and calmness.
"It probably makes a big difference in my performances as well.
"Maybe it comes with maturity but I do feel more focused during games."
Arsenal
will be without midfielder Jack Wilshere, who starts a two-match
suspension. Centre-half Laurent Koscielny is a major doubt after
suffering a gash to his knee in the defeat at Manchester City, but
German forward Lukas Podolski is available again after three months out
with a hamstring injury.
Jose Mourinho may have downplayed
the significance of Chelsea's defeat of Arsenal in the Capital One Cup,
but Fernando Torres and Juan Mata will take confidence from the victory
into the clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Two days after
Torres' late goal gave Chelsea victory over Manchester City in the
Premier League, a Blues side showing 10 changes claimed a 2-0 win at
Arsenal to advance in the League Cup with a sixth win from six games in
October.
Now out of that competition following
the midweek loss at Sunderland, Chelsea's immediate focus is on the
championship and claiming a third successive win at Arsenal following
last season's Premier League triumph.
Torres,
who netted in the September 2012 win, said on chelseafc.com: "We know
how important it is for us. It's a chance to overtake them in the table
and we know how important that is for the fans.
"We're playing Arsenal, and it's a huge game for both sets of fans.
"We've beaten them once this season in the Capital One Cup at the Emirates, so we know what we need to do to win there.
"We just have to ensure we prepare for the game the best we can, and I'm sure we can go and do it."
A
win in the first of four games in 10 days would take Chelsea above the
Gunners and level in first place with a Liverpool side which visits
Stamford Bridge on December 29.
Mata was on
target in last season's Premier League win over Arsenal and in the
Capital One Cup earlier this season, when he was out of favour.
The
Spaniard, who is still to claim a regular starting place, told Chelsea
TV: "They are playing really well at the Emirates, but we won there in
the Capital One Cup this season.
"We'll try to play great football like we did that game and we'll try to get the three points to get to the top of the table.
"It's
a team I enjoy playing against. They are a team that play with the ball
and in a way they let you play with the ball as well.
"I've been lucky against them. I scored at Stamford Bridge twice in two games, I scored at the Emirates twice."
There
will be familiar opposition facing Torres and Mata, if the pair are
selected, with Spaniards Santi Cazorla, Nacho Monreal and Mikel Arteta
in the Gunners squad.
"They are my friends," Mata added.
"Santi
is an amazing player, he can play with both feet. Nacho is a very
consistent left-back and Mikel is one of the most important players in
the team because he's the centre of their football.
"In the midfield they have a lot of players that can play with quality. We will have to be careful with them."
Mourinho has an unbeaten record against Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.
In
eight meetings of Mourinho's first spell, the Portuguese won four times
and drew four, while the Capital One Cup success enhanced his record.
The
self-proclaimed Special One insisted the record was not relevant
heading into the contest in which England left-back Ashley Cole is to be
left "on the bench or at home".
The defender,
who joined Chelsea from Arsenal in controversial circumstances in August
2006, attended his former club's Christmas party last week and was
already out of favour, having not played a Premier League game since
November 2 at Newcastle.
Cesar Azpilicueta is preferred, with Branislav Ivanovic back following suspension.
Captain John Terry is to be joined in central defence by Gary Cahill or David Luiz.