Wenger sings praises of Chelsea's Costa ahead of London derby

Perhaps the best way to mend a thorn in one's side is by currying its favour.

At least that's what Arsene Wenger's remarks about Diego Costa come off as on the eve of a heated tilt between his Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates.

Hard to blame the gaffer celebrating his 20th season at the club this week, especially after the fiery Spaniard was the difference in two matches against the London rival last season.

In both fixtures, Costa played a part in having Arsenal centre-halves Gabriel and Per Mertesacker, and without a goal in its last six league clashes with Chelsea, perhaps Wenger is opting for mind games ahead of Saturday's late start.

"He looks since the start of the season to have cleaned up his act, that he behaves more focused on the game and that makes him more dangerous," Wenger told reporters Friday, courtesy of the Telegraph's Matt Law.

Asked if Costa is at risk of losing his edge in light of his recent displays of composure, Wenger asserted, "I don’t think so. "You want full commitment. Commitment is different from this kind of overreactions. He is a fighter and you respect that. The rest is down to the referees to get the game and the rules respected."

Costa, who spent time with Atletico Madrid before making the Stamford Bridge switch in 2014, emerged as a star in his final season in Spain, narrowly losing out to Cristiano Ronaldo for the LFP's Best Forward award. Wenger was one of many managers to take notice.

"I never thought he would leave Atletico Madrid at the time - I was surprised," Wenger said.

That response prompted a follow-up question, and Wenger was nothing but candid in his retrospective analysis of the Brazilian-born La Roja standout and the idea of him in Arsenal's seminal red strip.

Asked if he would have made a move for Costa, Wenger responded, "Yes. I like him as a quality striker. Costa is similar to Drogba. I like the qualities of the player. All the rest around is not needed."