Fabregas in focus: Cesc returns to Arsenal with new club Chelsea

Cesc Fabregas knows what it takes to win the Premier League. However, the 27-year-old Spaniard doesn’t have a winners medal.

He joined Arsenal in the summer of 2003, as the Gunners prepared their assault on the top-flight, which saw them go the whole season unbeaten en route to lifting the trophy. However, having not played a single match in the competition, Fabregas was denied a medal, he spent the following seven years coveting.

Returning to the Emirates on Sunday, he has come full circle. Leaving for the shores of Spain in 2011 back to boyhood club Barcelona, he won La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Having returned to London last summer to join Chelsea, his first season in the Premier League for the second time around, has, by contrast to 12 years ago, seen him heavily involved in a title charge.

Speaking prior to the match, Fabregas admitted that the Blues just want to get over the line as quickly as possible.

“We just want to win it,” he said. “The sooner, the better. We want to give satisfaction to the supporters. It’s been five years for them without winning the Premier League title; for me it’s been 27 years so I’d love to win it as soon as possible.”

Victory over his former club would mean the west London side need just three more points to secure the title, which could happen three days later against Leicester City.

“It’s massive,” Fabregas continued. “We are level on games now, we are 10 points in front and we don’t want to give them hope to put pressure on us. We have to put in a good performance because we know the Emirates is always a difficult place to go.”

He is 4/1 to score anytime against his ex-employers when Chelsea visit north London; however, he has proved more clinical as lead assistant for the Blues this term, and with 17 in the Premier League, he leads by seven.

During his Arsenal career, Fabregas’ best return came in the 2009/10 campaign, when he backed up his 20 assists across all competitions with a total of 19 goals. He had 16 and 15 in the Premier League respectively. Bottom line? Everyone associated to Arsenal remembers him for scoring goals, and will be hoping sincerely that this doesn’t happen on his return.