“You must START him today to mark Enzo Fernandez or else Chelsea will run Arsenal down”- Arsenal icon Ian Wright has instructed Mikel Arteta to unleash Arsenal’s ‘difference maker’ to limit Enzo Fernandez’s influence in the game

Arsenal team news: Arteta must unleash his “difference maker” 

Arsenal will be prepared for a battle in the London derby this afternoon, with one player back in contention at the perfect time…

Arsenal are back in action this evening following the international break, and what better way to return than with a London derby at Stamford Bridge, as the Gunners visit Chelsea in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side remain unbeaten in the 2023/24 league campaign, sitting in second place narrowly behind Tottenham Hotspur on the mere basis of goals scored, contrasting to Mauricio Pochettino’s start to life in west London.

The Blues currently sit in 11th having won three, drawn two and lost three from their opening eight fixtures, yet they have started to build some momentum of late, making this evening’s affair just that bit more feisty.

What is the latest Arsenal team news against Chelsea?

Arsenal signed off before the international break with a statement win against Manchester City, beating Pep Guardiola’s side in the league for the first time since 2015 in a well-fought 1-0 win at the Emirates.

Arteta’s side will be hoping to build further from their stellar victory by beating Chelsea this evening, with the motivation there to replicate the win at Stamford Bridge against the Blues last term.

Arsenal beat City without their star man Bukayo Saka, who was sidelined due to injury, with the manager confirming that he can’t determine the Englishman’s fitness up until a pre-match fitness test.

Another scare has since surfaced with Arteta revealing in his pre-match press conference that William Saliba will also require a late fitness check, as he nurses a toe injury that saw him withdraw from international duty, with Leandro Trossard in a similar situation.

There could be some rotation evident from the squad that beat Manchester City 13 days ago, with positive news being the return of midfield enforcer Thomas Partey.

Should Thomas Partey start against Chelsea?

After missing four Premier League games due to a groin injury, Partey re-joined the squad as a second-half substitute against City, where Jorginho was given the nod ahead of him as he eases back into match fitness.

Lauded as a “difference maker” by journalist Eduardo Hagn, Arteta could finally unleash his best midfield combination against Pochettino’s men with Declan Rice, Partey and Martin Odegaard theoretically posing to be the strongest trio in contention at the Emirates.

Former Blues forward Kai Havertz had been deployed in the middle of the park in place of Partey during his absence, however the former Atletico Madrid maestro has a presence that cannot be matched in Arsenal’s current options.

Considering the threat that Enzo Fernandez poses in building play from deep in Chelsea’s midfield, starting Partey from the off could be a decisive factor in Arsenal getting the win at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine averages 10.89 progressive passes per 90 this season in the Premier League, the highest of any midfielder, as per FBref, highlighting the influence he can exert on those ahead of him from the engine room.

On the other hand is Partey, who if paired with Rice, could relieve the pressure of defensive duties on the Englishman, suggested by his average of 2.54 tackles per 90 last term, as well as his ball-carrying ability with 50.67 carries per 90, via FBref.

The combination of the Ghana international and Arsenal’s £105m man could smother any pressure hoping to be stemmed from Fernandez, with a pivot that can both be the anchor and progress effortlessly in transition.