Cesc Fabregas’s return to Arsenal as a Chelsea player and the prospect
of Didier Drogba testing the Gunners once again were among the topics
raised at Jose Mourinho’s pre-match conference.
Meetings between the two clubs in what is London’s oldest top-flight
derby always generate keen interest, but this one especially so given we
occupy the top two places in the league with the title race very much
in the final straight.
Past results were discussed as well but first Mourinho reported on the fitness of his three senior strikers who have had injury question marks over them. Didier Drogba is definitely available for Sunday's game but a decision on Diego Costa will be made tomorrow (Saturday).
'If not for Arsenal, then [he will be back] for Leicester,' Mourinho said, having ruled Loic Remy out of contention. He also confirmed Dominic Solanke did not take part in last night's Under-21 win over Everton to keep the 17-year-old fresh in case he is involved this weekend. The rest of the squad is without injury problems.
In the home meeting with Arsenal back in October, the Blues ran out 2-0 winners with an opening goal from Eden Hazard and a second from Diego Costa, played in superbly by a lofted high pass from Fabregas.
Ahead of the re-match Mourinho discounted any suggestion that our in-form Belgian might be a realistic transfer target for other major clubs, before considering why Fabregas will be wearing blue rather the red on Sunday.
‘Hazard just signed a new contract and we didn’t put a gun against his head, he had lots of time to think about it and he had his family to assist him in his analysis. He likes Chelsea, the team and the league and he made a commitment for the future of the team by signing a very good contract. I don’t think he is interested in going.
‘I know why Fabregas chose Chelsea but I don’t know why he didn’t choose Arsenal. I can only speak about what we promised him and what he promised us, I cannot speak about his time at Arsenal, the decision that made him leave and the decision that stopped him going back.
‘I don’t know if it was the manager’s decision or his, I just told him we are going to be very adapted to his style of play and he is to be an important player in our project, and normally good projects always end with titles and he was looking for that.
‘I don’t know what reception he will get on Sunday but I am not worried for him,’ the manager added.
‘Frank Lampard played at Stamford Bridge without any problem and with a good reception and I don’t see why Fabregas can’t have the same at the Emirates, but if he has some bad reactions I think he is one to the players more than ready. He played in Barcelona with an Arsenal shirt so I don’t see why he can’t play at the Emirates with a Chelsea shirt.’
With Drogba in the frame to start the game, the 13 goals he has scored for Chelsea against Arsenal come readily to mind, although Mourinho plays down the significance of the past on the present when it comes to players and his own record of 12 games played against the Gunners with no defeats.
‘A match is an independent event and it doesn’t matter what Didier can do in the past, but let’s see if he can do it again,’ said the manager.
‘I am not proud of my record against Arsenal. For me achievement is to win on Sunday, it is not the other 12 matches against Arsenal. I don’t’ look to numbers and what I did against a manager or a club.’
‘I think my players don’t even know about this record unless they watch TV in the last few days or read the papers. Matches are isolated events with no relationship with the previous one and I don’t think they care about it. What they care about is the way we work and the way we prepare ourselves for the game.’
Past results were discussed as well but first Mourinho reported on the fitness of his three senior strikers who have had injury question marks over them. Didier Drogba is definitely available for Sunday's game but a decision on Diego Costa will be made tomorrow (Saturday).
'If not for Arsenal, then [he will be back] for Leicester,' Mourinho said, having ruled Loic Remy out of contention. He also confirmed Dominic Solanke did not take part in last night's Under-21 win over Everton to keep the 17-year-old fresh in case he is involved this weekend. The rest of the squad is without injury problems.
In the home meeting with Arsenal back in October, the Blues ran out 2-0 winners with an opening goal from Eden Hazard and a second from Diego Costa, played in superbly by a lofted high pass from Fabregas.
Ahead of the re-match Mourinho discounted any suggestion that our in-form Belgian might be a realistic transfer target for other major clubs, before considering why Fabregas will be wearing blue rather the red on Sunday.
‘Hazard just signed a new contract and we didn’t put a gun against his head, he had lots of time to think about it and he had his family to assist him in his analysis. He likes Chelsea, the team and the league and he made a commitment for the future of the team by signing a very good contract. I don’t think he is interested in going.
‘I know why Fabregas chose Chelsea but I don’t know why he didn’t choose Arsenal. I can only speak about what we promised him and what he promised us, I cannot speak about his time at Arsenal, the decision that made him leave and the decision that stopped him going back.
‘I don’t know if it was the manager’s decision or his, I just told him we are going to be very adapted to his style of play and he is to be an important player in our project, and normally good projects always end with titles and he was looking for that.
‘I don’t know what reception he will get on Sunday but I am not worried for him,’ the manager added.
‘Frank Lampard played at Stamford Bridge without any problem and with a good reception and I don’t see why Fabregas can’t have the same at the Emirates, but if he has some bad reactions I think he is one to the players more than ready. He played in Barcelona with an Arsenal shirt so I don’t see why he can’t play at the Emirates with a Chelsea shirt.’
With Drogba in the frame to start the game, the 13 goals he has scored for Chelsea against Arsenal come readily to mind, although Mourinho plays down the significance of the past on the present when it comes to players and his own record of 12 games played against the Gunners with no defeats.
‘A match is an independent event and it doesn’t matter what Didier can do in the past, but let’s see if he can do it again,’ said the manager.
‘I am not proud of my record against Arsenal. For me achievement is to win on Sunday, it is not the other 12 matches against Arsenal. I don’t’ look to numbers and what I did against a manager or a club.’
‘I think my players don’t even know about this record unless they watch TV in the last few days or read the papers. Matches are isolated events with no relationship with the previous one and I don’t think they care about it. What they care about is the way we work and the way we prepare ourselves for the game.’
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