Fresh from helping the Blues keep a clean sheet against Barcelona during our comprehensive 3-0 victory over the Catalans, the defender says the mindset within the squad is clear as the Premier League’s first and second prepare to go head-to-head.

The midweek win was the perfect display of togetherness and composure under pressure, giving the squad a timely boost ahead of the weekend, and Wes knows it’s about carrying that momentum forward into another highly anticipated clash at the Bridge.

‘It’s a London derby,’ Fofana opened, speaking ahead of Sunday’s contest. ‘Every time [we play Arsenal] it’s a difficult game.

‘It's a little bit similar to the Barcelona game. We need to defend 11 versus 11, all together, and try to do everything for the clean sheet. We need to stay together and stay solid. It's good to keep a clean sheet, but we will also need to score and attack – and everyone needs to attack as well. We work well as a team, which is very important.

‘The key is just working every day, trying to improve everything and staying together because not every day is easy and very good, so we just need to stay together as a team.’

Narrowing the gap at the top to just three points is the reward for victory tomorrow, and the 24-year-old recognises this, but the Premier League campaign is still in its infancy – Wes knows there are plenty of twists and turns to come.

‘For sure, we know if we win, the points gap is a little bit closer, but the season is long,’ he explained.

‘For sure, we want to win the game because it's a London derby, and when you win against Arsenal, that success feels a bit better. Everyone is focused on that. The most important thing is just to work and progress. We're only in November, and we need to continue to work until the end of the season.’

The Gunners have lived up to their pre-season expectations and lead the way, not just in the league but in the Champions League as well, where they’ve cruised past the likes of Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.

Wes, however, is ready and raring for the challenge, particularly eager to repay the support shown at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. And his outlook is clear – winning is the only option come kick-off.

‘A London derby is very important for the team, for the fans and we just want to win – we need to win at home,’ Fofana added.

‘We know it's a big game, [Arsenal] are a very good team and we will try to do everything to win. We did the job [against Barcelona], now we need to do the job on Sunday, and that's it. This is what’s important: win the game, take the three points and continue to progress.’