Arsenal are full of energy and enthusiasm heading into the final Premier League sprint, manager Mikel Arteta said on Tuesday, ahead of his side’s match against Luton Town. Arsenal were knocked off the top of the table by Liverpool last weekend after a 0-0 draw with rivals Manchester City, but can return to the top with a win against relegation-threatened Luton on Wednesday.
A busy schedule awaits them, with a trip to Brighton
It will be the first time they have taken part in the knockout stage of Europe’s most important competition under the leadership of Arteta, who said the success of the Arsenal women’s team, which won the final of the League Cup against Chelsea on Sunday, was a source of pride in their own quest for the title.
“We are on the right track as a club. What the women’s team did this weekend makes us very proud and it’s also very important, Arteta said at a press conference on Tuesday. There are a lot of good things happening, but we have to aim for a lot more than that…. This is where we want to be. Now we want to seize this opportunity and make it happen.”
Second-placed Arsenal have a tough road ahead in their quest for a first league title since 2004, with matches coming up against rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester United, but the Spaniard is optimistic.
“We work every day with enthusiasm and passion to achieve this and we enjoy the moment. I see the team is in great shape and very excited to play every game. This is what must take us to the end,” added the former Arsenal captain.
“I’m very excited, I’m full of energy and it’s a great part of the season. It’s very different and I wasn’t in that position when I was a player (at Arsenal).”
The manager confirmed that striker Bukayo Saka is “fine” after being forced off the field against Manchester City on Sunday and that defender Jurrien Timber, who is out with a long-term injury, has a “good chance” of returning before the end of the season.
Asked about rotating his team, the manager said: “It’s linked to what they do”: “It also depends on what they do in training. We will look at all these elements and we will try to find the right team to win.