Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has warned his team-mates to be ready for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette when the two sides meet this weekend.
The Blues host the Gunners at Stamford Bridge for a crucial early-season six-pointer in the title race, with Lacazette likely to play a key role for Arsene Wenger’s side.
The France international was signed from Lyon for a club-record fee of £52million this summer, having shone with some prolific performances in Ligue 1.
Lacazette is now showing his scoring touch for Arsenal with two goals in his first four games for the club, including a fine effort from outside the area in last weekend’s win over Bournemouth.
Kante is expecting big things from his fellow Frenchman, and expects him to be a threat when Arsenal travel to Chelsea this Sunday.
‘I think maybe in England, you don’t know him very well but he has started to score,’ Kante said.
‘In France, he was a very good goalscorer who scored for many, many years and he will be a threat for Sunday’s game. We have to be ready to stop him but the most important thing is the team and we need to win.’
Chelsea have made a better start to this season than Arsenal and sit three points clear of them going into this big game, but Arsene Wenger will be dearly hoping Lacazette can repay some of his fee with a match-winning performance against a major rival.
The 26-year-old looks like being one of the players rested for Thursday’s Europa League game against FC Cologne, with Wenger ringing the changes in order to keep his players fresh for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
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