John Terry claims Arsenal star ‘doesn’t like’ facing Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella | Football

Chelsea legend John Terry says Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka ‘doesn’t like’ playing against Marc Cucurella and the ‘big battle’ might be key in determining the results of the London derby.

Arsenal are riding a nine-game unbeaten streak within the Premier League and hold a healthy six-point lead over third-placed Chelsea moving into today’s eagerly anticipated contest at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester City ensured they maintained the pressure on the Gunners at the highest with a dramatic 3-2 win over Leeds on Saturday, a result that kept Pep Guardiola’s men inside 4 points of the league leaders.

Following three successive runners-up finishes, Mikel Arteta’s side have established themselves because the favourites to lift the coveted trophy this season – 22 years on from their last triumph under Arsene Wenger.

And with Arsenal boasting one of the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues this season, a 1-0 defeat away to Liverpool back in August stays their only lack of the campaign after 12 games.

The north Londoners also needs to be encouraged by their statement midweek victory at home to Bayern Munich, a team they’d not beaten in over a decade.

Arsenal weren’t the one English team to put down a marker within the Champions League this week, though, with Chelsea having swept aside Barcelona in a formidable win just 24 hours earlier within the capital.

It couldn’t have come at a greater time for Enzo Maresca’s side, who appear to have hit their stride following a somewhat inconsistent begin to the season each domestically and in Europe.

Maresca can be boosted be the upcoming return of Cole Palmer, who might be handed his first minutes since mid-September when Chelsea got the higher of Manchester United.

‘It’s a large boost for the football club to have such a top player back involved,’ ex-Chelsea captain Terry said of Palmer’s potential involvement on his TikTok page.

‘But in addition, more importantly for him, to potentially get 20 to half-hour of game-time in his legs so he’s ready for the remaining of the season.’

Terry, a five-time Premier League winner with Chelsea, continued: ‘The manager has some big decisions to make after such a giant performance against Barcelona within the week. Will he keep the identical XI? w

‘Will Joao Pedro come down the center as a No.9 or possibly Liam Delap? Will Pedro Neto move out to the left and Alejandro Garnacho on the left perhaps?

‘I’m unsure, but regardless of the manager’s been doing in recent weeks he’s actually got it right and I’m sure he’ll make the identical call again this weekend.’

Terry expects the battle between Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice in central midfielder will probably be crucial in deciding which team is in a position to get a foothold int he match.

In response to Terry, the competition between Cucurella and Saka will probably be one other intriguing match-up where Chelsea could gain the upper hand.

‘We’ve got some battles in the midst of the park,’ he explained.

‘Moises Caicedo against Declan Rice… two outstanding players who’ve been superb for each clubs and been putting in man-of-the-match performances week after week in order that’s going to be a giant battle in the midst of the park

‘We’ve got Saka against Cucurella that’s at all times battle. With them two, I’m unsure Saka likes the aggression from Cucurella.

‘But let me inform you, every Chelsea supporter [does like the aggression] so hopefully he brings that very same energy and same intensity like he does at all times.’

Arsenal have turn into far and away the Premier League’s handiest team from set-pieces under Arteta during the last two seasons.

In a separate video on his TikTok page, Terry urged Chelsea’s players to ‘make it as difficult’ as possible for Arsenal by going man-to-man when defending the Gunners’ at set-plays.

‘Each teams have set-piece coaches and the importance of those set-piece coaches are vital to each Arsenal’s success and Chelsea’s success, from each attacking and defending corners,’ he said.

‘Let me inform you, set-pieces in training are probably the most boring thing and nobody likes doing it, however the importance of it’s vital and you possibly can see that Arsenal have really bought into their set-piece coach and the way much Mikel Arteta believes in it. You possibly can see how much work they do every day.

‘But we [Chelsea] have to ensure that that we’re ready from set-pieces right from the outset because Arsenal are superb and we’d like to ensure that we’re able to take care of that.

‘One they ofter do is after they have runners coming from around back. I’d go man-to-man, give players a little bit of responsibility, stop marking the zone in these big games.

‘Put me with a person and go: “JT, that’s your man, you go and take care of him whatever way you’ve got to take care of him, don’t let him get a run on you, don’t let him get a free header.”‘

Terry went on: ‘Make contact, make it as difficult as you most likely can after which ensure that everyone seems to be doing the exact same around you, freeing up space for the goalkeeper to come back and collect these crosses and take it away from Arsenal’s strengths as well.

‘That’s going to be a giant topic because Arsenal are superb. We want to on our game and be ready for every part they throw at us.

‘But in addition from out set-pieces, let’s go and make an actual difference within the opposition box and go and ensure that we get a few goals.’

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