Jose Mourinho's chances of giving Chelsea their fifth Premier League title increase as weeks go by. When they face Arsenal on Sunday, a victory for his side could put them just one win away of singing "We Are The Champions" for the first time in five years. But before they can celebrate their second trophy this season, the Blues will try to make it thirteen games unbeaten for Jose Mourinho as Chelsea's coach without a loss against Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, and with the Portuguese boss' tactics, the striker position is one of the most important.
Mourinho has been struggling with injuries to his strikers all year long, even with his habit of rotating their shifts when the team played the Capital One Cup or the UEFA Champions League. Now, with the title on the line, The Special One will have to make a conscious decision about who he should start up front, considering their respective health issues. Here's a review of each of his three options, and who should earn a spot in the Blues' starting XI.
Diego Costa
According to Mourinho, the Brazilian born striker is fit to make Chelsea's squad this Sunday. Even if he is no longer the Premier League's top scorer (now he's second behind Harry Kane's 20 goals), Costa has proven to be quite useful for the Blues in his first season at Stamford Bridge, with his physical brand of football that drives defenders crazy. Nevertheless, Mourinho has risked Costa's health earlier this season with bad outcomes, just like the last time Costa went on the pitch against Stoke. The former Atletico Madrid player lasted only eleven minutes inside the pitch before showing signs of another hamstring injury. It's our belief that Costa should be available to play on the bench, but he should be used only if his team needs his services.
Loic Remy
Another newcomer for The Blues, Remy's had quite an impact whenever he's given the chance to play. He saved back-to-back games for Mourinho's side when he scored the game-winning goals against Hull and Stoke City. Since then, he has struggled with an ankle injury, but he seems to be OK for this match. If he is available, as Mourinho said he was, he should be the one that starts the game for Chelsea.
Didier Drogba
The legendary African striker is living his final moments with Chelsea, even after he stated earlier in the week he wasn't ready to hang his cleats for good. Drogba has struggled all week long with an ankle problem he picked up against Manchester United last Saturday, but he may push a little forward to make it to Sunday's game. Drogba's legs may not be as fast as they once were, but he sure knows how to make his experience count when taking on younger defenders. If he is fit, Drogba may be the first attacking option coming off the bench, even with Costa around.
Chelsea's probable lineup vs Arsenal: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Zouma, Matic; Oscar, Fabregas, Hazard; Remy.
