Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, is feeling upbeat and has stated that his team will be “flying” in their crucial Premier League matchup against Liverpool this weekend.
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, has stated that his team will be “flying” when they play Liverpool on Sunday.
With 17 points, the Gunners are now in third place in the Premier League, four points ahead of Liverpool in first place. In the Champions League, Arsenal defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, and Arteta acknowledged that his team’s performance had “dropped off” going into the match.
He is certain, nevertheless, that Arsenal will return to their peak against Liverpool. Arteta responded, “Well, we played two nights ago with players coming from internationals after flying from Brazil and many countries,” when asked how he intends to re-energise his players before the game.
“I anticipated a slight decline. In addition, I believe we paid a small price for exerting so much effort in the first half and failing to gain the distance in terms of the scoreline. We started giving the ball away in the wrong places, which made things harder for us, and then it became more open.
“That was ineffective. However, we now have four days. I assure you that we will be flying on Sunday. Definitely. After reviewing and taking a day off, we will spend two days getting the game ready.
“Sunday is far and we are more than comfortable that we’ll be in the right place.”
Additionally, Arsenal is concerned about the health of a number of important players, such as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. After being sent off against Bournemouth, William Saliba will be sidelined for the game, and Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all questionable.
Following the victory over Shakhtar, Arteta told TNT Sports: “Ricci [Calafiori] felt something and was unable to stay on, and Saka isn’t training yet, so he won’t be available. A little concerning.
While Tomiyasu has experienced a setback in his recuperation from a knee injury, he has stated that Timber is “going to be close” to making his comeback against Liverpool. Additionally, Arteta does not anticipate that club captain Odegaard will be healthy.
When asked if Odegaard could play against the Reds, Arteta responded, “I don’t think so,” to the Norwegian network TV2. “Martin is desperate to get back and is frustrated. However, it is hoped that this time will teach him some valuable life lessons.
