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Mikel Arteta Speaks On Arsenal’s Premier League, Champions League Ambition
Arsenal’s head coach, Mikel Arteta, has discussed his side’s struggle to secure their first league title in two decades, with strong competition from Liverpool and_ Manchester City breathing down their necks.
Sportxparte reports that Arsenal is in a great position in the Premier League title race, at the top of the table with just 10 games remaining.
The Gunners’ recent form has been nothing short of impressive. They secured their eighth consecutive league win in dramatic fashion against Brentford. This victory, coupled with City’s draw against Liverpool, has boosted Arsenal’s position at the top, although on goal difference.
Arteta, in a recent press conference ahead of their Champions League clash against Porto, expressed his delight at being in contention for the title, especially considering the quality of opposition in Liverpool and_ City. The manager emphasized the need for focus and_ taking each game as it comes to maintain their position at the summit of English football.
Arteta remarked, “It’s great to be top, that’s for sure – it was an amazing game of football with two magnificent teams, with so many alternatives.”
As Arsenal sets its sights on European success, it faces the challenge of overturning a 1-0 deficit from the first leg against Porto to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Arteta stated the importance of the home support and_ urged the fans to bring their energy to spur the team on to victory.
Arteta added, “That’s the opportunity that we have tomorrow, in front of our people and_ our stadium. For 96 minutes bring your energy, bring your noise, and let’s do it together.”
The contrast between Arsenal’s domestic form and_ their recent performance in Portugal against Porto is stark. The Gunners failed to register a shot on target in that match, ultimately deferring to a late winner. However, Arteta remains confident in his team’s ability to rectify their mistakes and_ put on a better display in front of their home crowd.
Regarding the upcoming match against Porto, Arteta stated, “Every opponent has their strengths and_ weaknesses and_ the way that they approach the game, and_ now we know them a bit better. We’ll just focus on being ourselves and_ do more of the things that we can control better than we did a few weeks ago.”
Injury concerns over Gabriel Martinelli, who missed the win against Brentford due to a cut foot and_ is unlikely to feature in the crucial Champions League fixture. Despite this setback, Arteta remains optimistic about his team’s chances and_ believes in their ability to control the game and_ exploit Porto’s weaknesses.
