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Arsenal vs Chelsea: Arsene Wenger aims to take Blues on at their own game and instructs team to fight to the end in title race

Wenger feels Arsenal can challenge Chelsea at set-pieces after addressing the weakness in the team

Jack de Menezes

Sunday 26 April 2015 14:49 BST

Wenger and Mourinho squared up to each other earlier this season when the teams last met (Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger has instructed his Arsenal side to fight until the very end in the hope that today’s opponents Chelsea slip up in the race for the Premier League table.

The Blues arrive at the Emirates with a 10 point buffer over the Gunners, while they lead second-placed Manchester City by nine points with two games in hand over the reigning champions.

But despite their sizeable lead in the table, Wenger wants his players to keep pushing until it’s mathematically impossible to win the title, and feels there’s no better way to do that than to gain his first ever victory over Jose Mourinho.

Writing in his programme notes, Wenger said: “This afternoon’s match is a huge test for us, and one I believe we are ready for. We have three main targets. The first is to solidify our position in the league.

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“We are in second place at the moment [at time of writing] and we can make this position stronger. The second target is of course to keep our run going. We want to continue to win. The third is to get closer to Chelsea before the end of the season. When you have an opportunity like that, you want to take it.”

Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

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1/12Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

David Ospina (Arsenal)

Yes, it comes as a shock, but the Colombian makes the cut ahead of Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois on recent form – as this team is picked – given his impressive spell in the Arsenal goal. Having ousted Wojciech Szczesny from the sticks, Ospina has cemented his role so much that Szczesny looks set to be sold in the summer, and the 26-year-old has conceded just three goals since the start of March, compared to Courtois’s six.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)

The utility defender is one of the best right-backs around in the Premier League, and his worth to the team has been shown over the years since his arrival in 2008. Ivanovic is a prime example of a big time, having shown his best form in matches against their top four rivals as well as on the European stage. When these teams met at Stamford Bridge, he was able to keep Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla quiet as the two swapped flanks.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

John Terry (Chelsea)

He’d probably be the captain too. Terry’s worth to the Blues is unquestionable, and his performances this season show why the club are happy to prolong his career-long spell at Stamford Bridge. He commands the back-line and remains a physical threat at attacking set-pieces, and seems to relish the London derby when he comes up against the Gunners.

Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)

Without doubt Arsenal’s most consistent defender, although that doesn’t say a lot given the rest of the options available. That doesn’t do Koscielny justice though, as the Gunners are a much stronger team with the Frenchman in the side as his injury absences in the past have shown. Has an eye for a goal – much like Terry – and his pace at the back remains his strongest trait.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)

He may be a natural right-back solving a problem on the left, but it’s some feat to keep out a Champions League finalist and La Liga winner in Filipe Luis. Neither Nacho Monreal or Kieran Gibbs have shown the form to put themselves in consideration, and with Azpilicueta’s perceived weakness coming in the air, he is unlikely to be tested against an Arsenal side notorious for playing on-the-ground technical football.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)

The Serbian defensive midfielder is probably leading the way in the holding role, although Frances Coquelin as emerged from the Arsenal youth ranks to make the position his own at the Emirates. It’s quite likely that Matic will look to latch on to Mesut Özil, having nullified the playmaker’s threat in the reverse fixture last October that also saw Özil injured for over three months.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)

The former Arsenal captain returns to the Emirates for the first time since leaving the club in 2011, and after a mixed reception from the Gunners support last October, the reunion may well be one to forget. However, despite his performances of late not quite matching up to his early season form, he still has the talent and ability to secure three points single-handedly, and his understanding with Eden Hazard – as demonstrated in the 1-0 victory over QPR – gives the Blues a threat that the Gunners currently lack.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)

The Chilean has more than justified his expensive transfer last summer having established himself as a firm favourite among the red half of North London. Sanchez has the ability and awareness to play across either flank as well as a prolific goal-threat through the middle, and his ability to come up with goals when the side isn’t at its best – the recent FA Cup semi-final victory over Reading immediately springs to mind – gives Arsenal something they’ve lacked in recent years.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)

The World Cup winner can be accused of taking time to settle at Arsenal, but he appears to be growing in confidence with each games he comes through. He may not get the plaudits due to his lack of goals, but the chances he’s creating for those around him are of the highest quality, and he’s a big reason why Arsenal head into this weekend’s game off the back of a nine game winning streak.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Surely he’ll win the Player of the Year award? Hazard has backed up his promise to challenge for the crown of being named the best player on the planet with a simply sublime season, and he can lay claim to winning his side 11 points single-handedly this term – more than their current 10-point gap at the top. He run Arsenal ragged at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, and it remains clear that Arsene Wenger is yet to work out how to stop the Belgian maestro, who can realistically claim to be among the top three players on the planet.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Olivier Giroud (Arsenal)

Had Diego Costa been fit and at his ferocious best, Giroud would probably be sitting among the substitutes, but is yet to overcome his troublesome hamstring injury and while he could return against the Gunners, it’s the Frenchman’s 10 goals in his last 10 starts that locks down his position in our side. However, it’s time for Giroud to step up, as he is yet to register his first goal against Chelsea since arriving at Arsenal in 2012.

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Arsenal v Chelsea combined XI

Manager - Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)

The clash between the two managers in October dominated the headlines, more so than the Blues' 2-0 victory. But the simple fact is that Arsene Wenger is yet to beat Jose Mourinho, which makes this decision an easy one. Until The Professor earns his first win against The Special One, it's a one-horse race.

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“It’s not over and we have to fight until the end to get as close as possible,” Wenger added. “You never know. We have to continue to believe that we can get closer and closer and we have an opportunity this afternoon, which we want to take.”

Wenger also explained that he is ready to take Chelsea on at their own game. Having seen the Blues taste success at set-pieces, Wenger has drilled his side to improve an area that has long been deemed a weakness of the Gunners, and feels that they can take the game to the Blues today at corners and free-kicks in the opposite half.

“Of course today’s visitors are strong in many areas, including from set-pieces, but we have been reasonably good when defending those lately and have scored 20 ourselves this season, which is the joint-highest total in the Premier League,” Wenger explained.

“I’m very pleased with that because it was one of our weaknesses for a long period. The fact that suddenly we have good numbers is of course comforting and highlights that we are more dangerous and have more variety at our own set-pieces. On that front, we are more efficient now.”

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