Tag: Mikel Arteta

A 3-2 advantage going into Tuesday’s League Cup semi-final second leg at home offers no extra comfort to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who expects in-form Chelsea to pose his team a difficult challenge.

Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea have won all five matches since losing to Arsenal in the first leg last month, directly qualifying for the Champions League’s round of 16 after finishing sixth in the European competition’s league phase and rising to fifth in the Premier League.

“Tomorrow we have the home advantage, but we have a lot to do to beat a really good Chelsea side,” Arteta told reporters. “I think Liam is doing an incredible job… we need to make it very concrete to win it.”

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Rosenior, who took charge at Chelsea last month, has won every match other than the first-leg clash with Arsenal, and called Arteta’s men the favourites to win the tie.

“They’re a goal up and they’re at home. They’ll expect to go through. We need to take it as far as we can,” the Chelsea manager said.

But Arsenal, upbeat after a 4-0 league win at Leeds United, received a new injury blow with midfielder Mikel Merino set for surgery on a fractured foot he suffered during the loss to Manchester United.

“He is a big player for us. It’s a big blow… it’s a very rare injury. We’ll have to keep monitoring it,” Arteta said.

With the winter transfer window closing on Monday, Arteta said Arsenal would see if someone was available to fill the void.

“When you lose a big player in the squad… you need to do everything you can to see if someone is available. If not, we move on,” the manager said.

“The news of Mikel was very surprising. My day will be a bit busier than usual.”

Mikel Arteta promised that Arsenal would play with “courage and conviction” for the rest of the season after their surprise defeat by Manchester United slowed their Premier League title charge.

Arsenal, who remain four points clear of second-placed Manchester City, host Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty in the Champions League tonight, aiming to complete the tournament’s league phase with a perfect record.

The Gunners, who have seven wins out of seven in Europe this season, have already secured a place in the last 16, meaning they avoid a potentially tricky play-off next month.

They are also still alive in both domestic cup competitions.

Arsenal boss Arteta was asked at his pre-match press conference  about his team’s reaction to Sunday’s surprise 3-2 defeat against United – a first home loss of the season.

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“The reaction has been excellent,” said the Spaniard. “We took a moment to bring the temperature down, to pause and to reflect and ask two questions.

“One is, how do we feel and how do I feel myself? And then, how we are going to live the next four months?

“And it was so encouraging and beautiful because what came out of that is very simple – we have earned the right to be in a great position in four competitions.”

Arsenal’s slip-up against Michael Carrick’s resurgent United followed 0-0 draws against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

But Arteta promised that the Gunners would be fearless as they chase a first Premier League title since 2004.

“In the next four months, we are going to live and play with enjoyment, with a lot of courage and with the conviction that we are going to win it,” he said.

“And this is going to be the mind-set and where we are going to put the energy and I’m just hoping that everybody that is related to this club, especially our supporters, jump on the boat.”

William Saliba and Jurrien Timber are not available to face Almaty due to “slight niggles” while Mikel Merino and Declan Rice are suspended.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.

Arsenal head into today’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a six-point lead at the top of the table, although Manchester City and Aston Villa can cut that gap when they are in action on Wednesday.

Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games. But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.

 “No because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners. “They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”

The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup

 “There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.

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 “Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.

The defending champions head to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain “a superb side”.

The Gunners remain without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but are “monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensifies his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.

Arteta, meanwhile, said he was “sad” to see rival boss Ruben Amorim sacked by Manchester United on Monday after just 14 months in charge at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese coach’s exit followed growing tensions with senior United officials, including director of football Jason Wilcox, over recent days.

United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe had previously suggested Amorim would be given at least three years in charge, citing Arsenal’s patience with Arteta as an example to follow.

Appointed in 2019, Arteta endured a rocky start to his time in charge of Arsenal.

But they are now a commanding 17 points ahead of sixth-placed United, who won just 25 of 63 games in all competitions under Amorim.

 “I can only talk about what I have experienced and it’s always sad to see a colleague losing his job, obviously,” said Arteta. “We know where we are and I think you need support from the ownership, from your staff, from players.

 “At the end of the day, you need to win a lot of football matches if you want to stay in the job, and that’s the reality and the nature of our job.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side showed they are ready to go to “the next level” and win the Premier League after scoring two late goals for a vital 2-1 win at Newcastle on Sunday.

The Gunners took full advantage of Liverpool’s first defeat of the season at Crystal Palace 24 hours earlier to move up to second and within two points of the defending champions.

Nick Woltemade had put Newcastle in front against the run of play in the first half.

Arsenal were headed for a damaging defeat until Mikel Merino headed in on 84 minutes before Gabriel Magalhaes won the game in the sixth minute of added time.

Arteta’s men have finished second in each of the past three seasons and have not won the title since 2004.

Victory at St. James’ Park, where they had lost in each of their previous three visits, silenced some questions of Arsenal’s title credentials after failing to beat title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City in the early weeks of the season.

 “We discussed that to go to the next level, first of all, you have to learn from the past and certainly we take some lessons and very sore different and sore moments in this ground,” said Arteta of Arsenal ending their Newcastle hoodoo.

 “Today was an opportunity that the game brings you again in a really important week in the Premier League after all the tough places that we’ve already been, very early in the season, to show who we are, who do we want to be, our ambition, and the way that we want to play.

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 “I think the team showed that today in a remarkable way.”

For Newcastle, it was a case of deja vu after Liverpool scored a 100^th -minute winner in a 3-2 thriller at St. James’ Park last month.

Eddie Howe, though, accepted that his side are yet to hit the standards they did last season in winning the League Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.

Newcastle have won only one of their opening six Premier League games and lost their Champions League opener to Barcelona.

 “Two really late goals here at home hurts. We have to reflect and acknowledge that we weren’t at our best,” said Howe. “There was not lack of effort but from a footballing side, it wasn’t quite there.”

Mikel Arteta said he would love for Bukayo Saka to follow team-mate William Saliba by committing his future to Arsenal.

Sources told ESPN that Arsenal fended off Real Madrid to secure Saliba’s services for another five years, with official confirmation of the defender’s renewal expected next week.

Saka’s current deal with Arsenal expires in 2027 and although there is no indication that the England international wants to leave, it is not believed that a new contract is close to being announced.

Asked if he is expecting news of Saka’s renewal to be rubber-stamped, Arteta said: “I would love that.

“From everything that I know, he is a player that is extremely happy, and proud to have the role that he has at the football club.

“Things will develop in a natural way, like they always do, and everyone knows how important Bukayo is for us. Hopefully we can do it.”

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Like Saka, Saliba has been a star performer for Arsenal, and alongside Gabriel — who also signed a new contract in June — has forged arguably the best defensive partnership in the Premier League.

Ahead of their clash against Newcastle tomorrow, Arteta’s side have conceded just one goal from open play so far this season.

Arsenal’s ability to keep the France international — who has been in the PFA Team of the Year for the past three seasons — away from Real Madrid’s clutches is a significant statement of intent as Arteta bids to end the club’s 22-year wait for a title. The Spaniard’s sole trophy of his near six-year reign is his 2020 FA Cup triumph.

Alluding to Real Madrid’s interest in Saliba, 24, Arteta continued: “When you hear that noise, you can understand certain expectations. Players have feelings, and maybe dreaming about something one day and that’s a really natural thing to have.

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Eberechi Eze rang him to explore whether Arsenal were interested in signing him as he stood on the brink of finalising a move to north London rivals Tottenham.

Eze was unveiled to a joyous Emirates Stadium crowd minutes before Saturday’s 5-0 win over Leeds United having completed his £67.5 million ($91m) move from Crystal Palace earlier in the day.

Spurs had agreed a deal to sign Eze following extensive talks between the two clubs but a report suggested the 27-year-old spoke with Arteta, triggering a board meeting at which Arsenal decided to go for the player — a move which takes their summer spending to more than £260 million ($352m).

Asked about that call with Eze, Arteta told beIN Sports: “That shows you how much he wanted to come. It is very difficult sometimes because you want to be very open and transparent with the players.

“They have to make decisions in their careers that are very, very important. I am delighted to have him. You can tell how much it means to him and his whole family. Welcome to our family and I’m sure we are going to have some great moments together.”

Pushed on whether Eze has the “X-factor” that can give Arsenal something different, Arteta replied: “Without a doubt. I think he has the capacity to create these magic moments. He can do it from different positions, different situations.”

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“He’s got that flair, he’s got that charisma as well about him that is very contagious. And they’re using it the right way. He can play different positions. We know he can play as an attacking midfielder, right or left. He doesn’t care. He plays shifted off the left as well. He’s very comfortable there as well.

“We’ll gather information again the moment he’s on that pitch and starts to link and feel connection with people. I’m sure we will find the right place for him.”

Two goals each from Jurriën Timber and Viktor Gyökeres — his second a penalty — in addition to Bukayo Saka’s first of the season put Leeds to the sword in a dominant display.

The only downside was potential injuries to Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka, who could join Kai Havertz for a spell on the sidelines.

“Those [injuries] are the negatives of the day,” said Arteta. “Martin felt something in his shoulder when he landed. We don’t know.

“We’ll have to scan him tomorrow and understand a bit better. And Bukayo, while he was running with the ball, carrying the ball, wrestling with the defender, he felt something in his hamstring. So let’s see. I think it’s the other [shoulder]. It’s not the same one as the previous injury.

“But we are two weeks [into the season] and we already lost Kai, Martin and Bukayo. So it tells you how well-equipped you have to be in this league to manage and to maintain the level that we want. For Bukayo to come off, for sure it looks like something that is significant.”

Mikel Arteta said he was happy that Arsenal had signed a number of top-quality players in the early stages of the transfer window, and that they had given the Premier League club impetus to raise their level in the coming season.

Runners-up for the last three seasons, Arsenal have signed winger Noni Madueke and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea, as well as midfielders Christian Norgaard from Brentford and Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.

“They bring new excitement, a new energy as well,” Arteta told reporters in Singapore on Monday ahead of a pre-season match against Serie A side AC Milan.

“We signed very important players as well. Again, everybody feels like their height has to go to a different level, and that’s what we’re seeking,” he added.

“Ideally, you want it (transfers) done on day one in pre-season. We’ve done very, very well so far. I’m very pleased with the way the club is supporting the necessities and improvements that we required in the team.”

Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last season, is also expected to move to the Emirates Stadium.

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“There’s still a long time in the window, and we are seeking. In terms of numbers, we are short, and we have to improve the depth and the quality of the squad,” Arteta added.

“We are constantly looking in the market, but until that happens, I can focus on the players that we actually have, work with them, and I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen so far in the first 10-15 days.”

Arteta briefly spoke about former player Thomas Partey, who was charged with rape and sexual assault this month, after leaving the club at the end of last season.

“I think the club was very clear in its statement. There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated so I cannot comment on any of that,” Arteta said.

Asked if he felt like the club had followed the right processes in dealing with the issue, he replied:”100%, yes.”

Arsenal begin their 2025-26 Premier League campaign on August 17 with a trip to Manchester United.

Mikel Arteta says Bukayo Saka has a “good chance to play” in Wednesday’s Premier League game against Crystal Palace after confirming the Arsenal winger’s injury is “nothing serious”.

Saka was seen limping after being substituted in the second half of Sunday’s 4-0 win at Ipswich following a first-half foul from Leif Davis that led to the defender’s dismissal.

Although Saka played on for a while after the injury, there were concerns he could be in danger of missing next week’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.

But Gunners boss Arteta eased those fears as he said Saka was in contention to face Palace at the Emirates Stadium.

“We have to wait and see how he reacts after (the training) session, but it’s nothing too serious,” he told reporters .“If we want to, I think he would have a good chance to play tomorrow.”

Arteta suggested he would be willing to send out a full-strength team, including Saka, against Palace, even though Arsenal have little to play for in the Premier League.

The north Londoners are 13 points behind leaders Liverpool, who will be crowned champions if Arsenal lose to Palace or if they beat Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.

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“We cannot think in those terms. When the players are fit and available and want to play, they have to play,” Arteta said of his selection dilemma.

“They are at their best when they are playing and they have consistency in their performances and physically they are good, emotionally they are good, their understanding and their rhythm and the way they make decisions is at their best.”

Arsenal will not play again after the Palace game before they face PSG in their first Champions League semi-final since 2009.

The Gunners have never won Europe’s top club competition and last won a trophy five years ago, when they lifted the FA Cup.

Arteta believes the extra rest could be helpful ahead of Arsenal’s biggest European game for 16 years.

“We have more days, the amount of options that we have is not that many…. It’s good to have a little gap because we are really short in numbers,” he said.

Riccardo Calafiori remains sidelined and Jorginho is facing an absence of a few weeks.

Arteta added: “It is what we have. Let’s take the opportunity first of all. Earn the right to win the game tomorrow against a really good side that have a really good record away from home as well and after that we have time to prepare for the (PSG) game really well.”

Second-placed Arsenal can make Arne Slot’s Liverpool wait a few more days for their Premier League title party if they beat Palace.

“Our incentive is to win our game and to do our best to continue with our run that we are in right now, the rest we cannot control,” Arteta said.