Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ‘excited’ for Arsenal reunion, says Graham Potter

Chelsea’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is “excited” for his Arsenal reunion when the 2 golf equipment face off in Sunday’s London derby however supervisor Graham Potter wished the narrative to steer away from the striker as his aspect search a morale-boosting victory.

Aubameyang fell out with Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta final season over disciplinary points. He was first stripped of the captaincy and had his contract terminated forward of a February transfer to Barcelona. The Gabon worldwide, 33, scored 92 occasions in additional than 150 appearances for Arsenal and returned to the Premier League in September, crossing the London divide to signal for Chelsea the place he has scored 3 times in 11 video games to this point.

“The history makes it an interesting one for Auba. But the past is the past as far as we’re concerned,” Potter informed reporters on Friday. “I don’t think we should make it about him. “He is an important part of the team for us but it takes everybody, not just one person. I understand the interest around him because it’s Arsenal. I think he’s looking forward to the game, excited for it.”

Chelsea earned a much-needed victory within the Champions League in midweek after a hunch of their home kind, having floundered in opposition to Brentford and Manchester United and endured a 4-1 humiliation at Potter’s outdated membership Brighton & Hove Albion.

League leaders Arsenal have 31 factors after 12 video games, 10 greater than Chelsea in sixth place. Arteta’s aspect, who hammered Nottingham Forest 5-0 on the weekend, have steadily improved their file at Stamford Bridge in recent times and have gained on their final two visits to Chelsea. “Recently, it hasn’t gone so well,” Potter stated, with Chelsea having gained solely one in every of their final 5 league conferences with Arsenal.

“It’s a London derby and anything can happen in the game. We want to be positive, play well and get the crowd involved in the game.” England defender Ben Chilwell will bear a scan in a while Friday to find out the extent of his hamstring harm, Potter stated, after pulling up in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb, placing his World Cup participation unsure.

“He is going for a scan later this afternoon so we’ll find out how he is then and there will be an update tomorrow,” Potter stated. “He feels okay and is conscious of the harm. We have to let the swelling cool down, therefore the delay of the scan.

“I wouldn’t say I fear the worst but we all saw the nature of the injury and I can’t say it looks positive. But until we get the scan, it’s difficult to say.” Potter added that goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is unlikely to function for Chelsea earlier than the World Cup, whereas midfielder Mateo Kovacic can be in competition for the Arsenal conflict after returning to coaching on Friday