Noni Madueke is not going to be surprised if the atmosphere is hostile when he returns to Chelsea with Arsenal, but tells Blues fans he’s focussed on securing three points for the Gunners.
The 23-year-old moved from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates over the summer in something of a surprise move which cost the north Londoners £50m.
After a shiny start, his progress was curtailed as a result of a knee injury, but he’s fit again and is back in Mikel Arteta’s pondering.
The England international got here off the bench and scored within the 3-1 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, his first goal for the club.
The large games carry on coming and Arsenal go to Chelsea on Sunday, which Madueke expects to be spicy but is looking forward to.
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‘It is perhaps a little bit bit hostile; it may not be. But I’m an expert footballer,’ Madueke said. ‘I actually have played in a great deal of atmospheres. I don’t know if anything will faze me. I’ll just be focused on the duty.
‘The fixture is just not about me. The fixture is about Arsenal getting one other three points within the league and being closer to the target.’
Things have pretty quickly turned round for the winger at Arsenal, with a piece of fans removed from convinced about his signing in July, making a #NoToMadueke campaign on social media.
He has brushed that off and says he’s already feeling the love from the Arsenal supporters.
‘You might be in the general public eye – people can say whatever they need about you,’ he said. ‘But being within the stadium, and the way the fans have taken to me within the stadium, is unbelievable.’
He added: ‘The last game versus Tottenham was incredible and that offers me such a lift.
‘I play on the side of the pitch. I can feel them; I can hear them. Once they are that positive about me it gives me an enormous boost. Truthfully, I’m made up about it.’
Madueke’s first goal for Arsenal got here in his eighth appearance and Arteta was thrilled to see him get off the mark in an enormous game.
‘Very completely satisfied. He’s worked incredibly hard to come back back,’ said the Spaniard. ‘I feel he was in a terrific moment before he got the injury.
‘He’s considered one of the players that he was acting at the best level. And now we’ve got him back. He played on the left, he played on the suitable. He gave us something as a distinct edge in that front line. I’m more than happy to see him and hopefully many more to come back.’
There’s numerous competition for places within the Arsenal side this season, with Madueke battling the likes of Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Ebere Eze for a spot within the starting XI.
Nevertheless, former Arsenal striker Paul Dickov reckons he deserves a start at Chelsea, telling Metro: ‘Yeah, I feel so.
‘That goal [against Bayern Munich] will give him numerous confidence. He began the season very, thoroughly at Arsenal after numerous people questioned the signing after which unfortunately he got injured.
‘He got here on last night and got his goal – not a foul time to get it going back to his old stomping ground. There’s all the time a story there when players return to their old clubs. I’ve been there over and over myself.’
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