Mikel Arteta dismissed the notion of claiming a “assertion win” at Chelsea on Sunday and identified his Arsenal gamers are used to high-stakes matches.
The Gunners go to Stamford Bridge in a conflict between the groups that occupy the top two places in the Premier League heading into the weekend.
Arsenal have had a improbable week, beating North London derby rivals Spurs 4-1 final Sunday earlier than an much more spectacular 3-1 defeat of Bayern Munich in midweek.
The subsequent take a look at takes them to West London however Arteta doesn’t imagine beating Enzo Maresca’s facet would ship a message to the remainder of the groups round them.
“These are statements that we’re speaking about each three days,” he mentioned. “After beating Spurs at house, then now we have to make an announcement towards Bayern Munich, we’ve achieved that and now now we have to go to the following one. That’s the place we’re, we knew the significance of the week, not solely that, however what’s coming after three days goes to be precisely the identical, nothing goes to alter.
“We simply dwell within the current and make the very best preparation to attempt to be higher than them and win the sport.
“It’s a giant sport, it’s a giant London derby. We’re going to play a extremely good opponent in good kind. We all know the problem, we all know the chance now we have as nicely. We’re going to be prepared for it.”
Arteta enjoys watching Chelsea
Arteta says Chelsea, who beat Barcelona 3-0 on Tuesday, are considered one of his favorite groups to observe and thinks they’re very a lot within the title race.
He added: “I feel we’re all there and they’re there as a result of they totally need to be. What they’ve achieved in the previous couple of years, I feel the squad they’ve assembled, the numbers that they’ve, the quantity of high quality, the supervisor and the teaching employees that they’ve, it is sensible that what is occurring there may be very, very constructive they usually need to be there.
“They’re one of many groups that I get pleasure from essentially the most watching, they’ve numerous fluidity, they’ve numerous energy, they’ve numerous particular person expertise, they’re very clear what they need to do, and that’s why they’re fairly powerful.”
Gyokeres and Havertz might return
Arsenal have been working with no recognised centre-forward since earlier than the worldwide break with Spain midfielder Mikel Merino transferring ahead to play the function.
Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are all edging in direction of full health though Arteta wouldn’t verify whether or not they are going to be obtainable for Sunday.
Requested if big-money summer time signing Gyokeres would come straight again in when match, Arteta mentioned: “Effectively, the nice factor is that now now we have discovered an alternative choice. We’ve got three totally different choices. That’s a extremely good studying for all of us, particularly for me, to know that with different gamers, with different connections, with different methods of doing issues, we will nonetheless be very, very environment friendly.
“We misplaced a participant, two or three, we misplaced, in some unspecified time in the future, six gamers within the entrance line, and the crew continued to win and be very, very environment friendly. So I feel that’s very constructive and now what now we have to show is, okay, as soon as now we have all people again, we’re going to nonetheless be nearly as good, or hopefully higher.”
The in-form Leandro Trossard is prone to be match after taking a knock towards Bayern and can begin on the left of a entrance three. Gabriel stays sidelined so both Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie will begin alongside William Saliba on the coronary heart of the defence.
