"Arteta is not joking about this title race thing" - Arsenal fans react as key duo start against Chelsea in Premier League fixture

Arsenal are currently facing Chelsea in the Premier League at the Gunners' home ground Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta's team aretop of the league table with 74 points in 33 matches. They lead their London rivals 1-0 during the first half at the time of writing.

However, with them tied on points with second-place Liverpool and ahead only on goal difference, the Gunners need to win tonight to keep their hopes alive. Manchester City are third on 73 points with a game in hand.

Arsenal released their lineup ahead of their clash against Chelsea, which lists defensive midfielder Thomas Partey and defender Takehiro Tomiyasu in the starting XI.

Fans were quite impressed with Mikel Arteta's plan and flooded social media with posts appreciating the manager's dedication to winning the league title. Here is a collection of their posts on X (formerly Twitter):

One fan wrote:

"Massive game for Partey and Tomiyasu, they HAVE to deliver"

Another added:

"What a lineup. Arteta means business tonight"

"BRILLIANT LINE UP LET'S GO," chimed in another fan.

One post read:

"For the first Arteta has picked a first eleven expected and wanted by almost all Arsenal fans."

"Arsenal is preparing for an upcoming match with a lineup that includes the return of Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey playing in the midfield, and Kai Havertz leading the attack. The team appears to be focusing on seizing the opportunity in this game, potentially aiming for a victory," read another.

One user said:

"I absolutely love this lineup. I hope it lives up to the potential with a stellar performance."

"Chelsea is in trouble tonight," said another.

While another Gunners fan wrote:

"We're eating good"

Arsenal won their last Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the weekend 2-0 at Molineux Stadium.

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Arsenal were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League

The Gunners lost 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League against Bayern Munich. The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium.

While the first half of the second leg remained goalless, Bayern's Joshua Kimmich scored a goal in the 63rd minute of the match, which made all the difference at the Allianz Arena.

The Gunners won the 2023 FA Community Shield after defeating Manchester City 4–1 on penalties. With their elimination from the UEFA Champions League, winning the Premier League is the only hope of some more silverware for Mikel Arteta's squad this season.