Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal will need Per Mertesacker to help focus the players on Sunday ahead of our clash with Chelsea at the Emirates.

Speaking ahead of the match, Wenger revealed that Per is hugely respected by the squad and that if anyone can help focus the team before such an important fixture, it’s him.

“[Per] is a very important leader in the dressing room – and a respected one as well,” the boss revealed.

“He maintains focus and wants to do well. He’s one of the guys who can help us.

“Experience helps but what will help more than anything is the quality of our performances and I think Sunday is a big one for us on that front.”

There’s a reason Per is captain and this isn’t the first time his leadership skills have been brought up. The centre back is a calming, yet authoritative voice both on and off the pitch, and numerous players have praised him for his support.

The wonderful thing about Per though, is that although he can be focused, he’s also intensely passionate about Arsenal and genuinely loves the club. All you have to do is look at his celebrations when he scores, particular in the FA Cup final against Aston Villa, and you can see how much of a Gunner he truly is.

As much as he’ll be trying to keep our team level-headed against Chelsea, he’ll also be baying for Blue blood.