MAURICIO Pochettino can’t wait to lock horns with Arsenal this weekend as Chelsea bid to continue their winning run.
The Blues will take on the Gunners at Stamford Bridge for the late Saturday kick-off full of confidence having won their last three games.
Arsenal are also in fine form having overcome Manchester City 1-0 before the international break.
Poch has been impressed by how opposite number Mikel Arteta has transformed the Gunners into genuine title contenders and is eager to see how his own young squad get on against their London rivals.
“We are going to play against a very good team,” the Chelsea boss said.
“I think that in the last few years they are building a very good squad and have a very good coach who I know very well.
“Mikel is a very good friend and they are doing a fantastic job.
“It is a team that is ready now to compete for big things and that is why it is a really exciting challenge to compete with them.
“We are in a different process, in a different time.
“But I think it is important to see our players how they are going to compete against a team that is more mature.”
There may have been a rocky start to Pochettino’s tenure at the Bridge but the Argentine reiterated injuries have been a big factor.
“First of all it is about recovering all the players,” he said.
“We have many players injured – and key players that cannot compete and train with us and that is very important.
“You can see how different a club like Man City (just) how affected they are when there is Rodri or De Bruyne.
“These are only two players but for us we miss many players, key players.
“I can’t help to develop and to improve the team faster.
“When we recover all the players for sure we will be ready to compete for big things.
“Even now we need to believe that we can compete for big things without the circumstances.”
