Chelsea boosted as Diego Costa earmarks Arsenal game for injury return

Diego Costa is reportedly determined to return to action in Chelsea's crucial league clash against Arsenal on 26 April, according to the Daily Mail.

The Gunners are currently second in the league, seven points behind Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.

With crucial fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool lined up for the Blues, along with trips to relegation battling Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City, the game can throw a glimmer of hope for the Gunners whose poor start of the season has given them a tall task to scale.

Costa, who has been in brilliant form this season and been Chelsea's top scorer thus far, is struggling with a hamstring injury which has been haranguing him for the better part of the year. Loic Remy has since stepped up in his absence, scoring two crucial goals in back to back games against Hull City and Stoke, saving Chelsea four points, a massive step forward in the title race.

Jose Mourinho is therefore unwilling to risk him in the meantime so as to avert surgery and keep him fit for the start of next season. The striker limped off 11 minutes after coming on in their game against Stoke and has been pinned down to be unavailable for two weeks.

The striker is unlikely to attend any training sessions in the ensuing weeks and will in turn focus more on strength training and rehabilitation so as to increase his resistance. His availability will be a massive boost for Mourinho, who also scored in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge where the Blues beat Arsenal 2-0.

Mourinho has an unbeaten record against Arsene Wenger in all competitions and his availability will go a long way in keeping the record intact. The Blues boss has already humiliated Arsenal 6-0 at Stamford Bridge last season while the reverse fixture ended in a tame 0-0 draw at the Emirates.

.