Cesc Fabregas Admits to Dip in Premier League Form

The Gunners beat Rovers 2-1 at Ewood Park, but midfielder Fabregas was not happy with his own contribution. However, the 23-year-old is confident he will be back to his best when Arsenal host Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates on Saturday.

Speaking in his programme notes, Fabregas said: “I was out of form and during the [Blackburn] game I knew it, but hopefully you’ll see an improvement [against Bolton].

“Nobody needs to tell me otherwise – I’m always hard on myself and aware when I’m playing badly.”

The World Cup winner was strongly linked with a summer move to Barcelona with several players from the Catalan side publicly expressing their desire for him to join them at the Camp Nou.

Although Fabregas has admitted he wanted to join the club during the transfer window, he is now focused on doing his best for Arsenal and thinks the team is prepared for the encounter, adding: “We’re ready for Bolton. It’ll be a hard game, but hopefully an enjoyable one – and one that, like any home game, we’re confident about.”

New signing Sebastien Squillaci is expected to make his Arsenal debut in central defence, although the Gunners will be without several key players due to injury as Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott, Thomas Vermaelen and Nicklas Bendtner are all sidelined.