• Premier League

It's time for Arsenal to fight, says Mikel Arteta

ESPN staff
November 18, 2014
Can Alexis Sanchez be as good as Luis Suarez?

Arsenal's Mikel Arteta has told his team-mates to banish their doubts and prepare to fight as Arsene Wenger's side gear up to face Manchester United on Saturday night.

The team threw away a three-goal lead to draw with Anderlecht in the Champions League and were beaten by Swansea in the Premier League before the international break and the captain has called for a strong reaction.

"We have two games against Manchester United and Dortmund at home and if we get the crowd with us from the start and get the results then it will be a very different story again," Arteta told Arsenal's official website.

"It is a rollercoaster at the moment but we need to manage the emotion because this is a long-term situation.

"For me, the most important thing is to lead with confidence and remind the players how good they are.

"When you see some faces with disappointment and doubts, it is not good. They are players of the top level and after one, two or three performances it is natural - you get doubts, you are not happy with yourself, you get a bit down.

"But we cannot allow that to happen here. It is very demanding to play three or four times in 10 days and bad periods are going to affect the team. So you need everyone on their toes and ready to fight."

Mikel Arteta says it is important to remind Arsenal's players how good they are © Getty Images
Enlarge
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
ESPN staff Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices