As is the case with almost every Arsenal game Mikel Arteta faces right now, Tuesday’s clash with Chelsea is monumentally important.
Saturday’s hard-fought win in the Midlands felt as if it handed some confidence and control back to Mikel Arteta and his team, ahead of the difficult tasks to come.
And although Chelsea aren’t enjoying a fruitful first season under Mauricio Pochettino, form can often go out of the window in derbies.
Arsenal will obviously hope that they’ve become too reliable and strong to fall down on that basis, but stranger things have happened.
Similarly, on paper Arsenal should be beating Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, who haven’t quite been the same team since the turn of the year.
But these games are played in deafening stadiums, not on paper.
That being said, when Arsenal welcome Chelsea to the Emirates on Tuesday, Mikel Arteta will need to get his team spot.
And after enjoying a glimpse of a Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield on Saturday, it now feels as if the trio needs to finally start a game together.
It’s time for Mikel Arteta to deploy Thomas Partey in Arsenal’s pivot vs Chelsea
In respect of seeing the game on paper, the trio listed above is Arsenal’s strongest by far.
Thomas Partey’s injury record has obviously ruined the possibility of that being a mainstay this season.
But with the £45m-midfielder now getting fitter, this game against Chelsea seems like the perfect time for Partey to start in the pivot for Arsenal.
Despite the frustrating figure he’s become in the eyes of the Arsenal fans, a player who simply can’t be relied upon because of his injuries, he is still immensely talented.
Perhaps his future beyond the season is still up in the air, but given the ‘unbelievable’ progressive passing Partey is capable of, he can still be crucial in these final five games.
There’s a lot of talk regarding the amount of minutes Arsenal’s starters have played this season, far too many in the eyes of some.
And therefore Partey’s fresh legs could be a crucial boost in what remains this season.
Perhaps a few would have also hoped that Jurrien Timber could have played a similar role, but his target might be better off as a place in The Netherlands’ Euros squad.
But with Kai Havertz returning to his best position as a false nine against Chelsea, Mikel Arteta could deploy an extremely strong Arsenal midfield behind him.