Category: Luton Town

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal’s record against prospective title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City this season will give them “belief” and motivation in the race for this season’s Premier League crown.

City and Liverpool however, have only taken three points apiece from the head-to-head showdowns between the three this campaign, each drawing once with the Gunners as well as playing out two 1-1 draws against each other.

With nine matches to play, Arteta feels his side’s impressive record could leave them well-placed during the run-in, provided they pick up the necessary points elsewhere too.

“I think it generates a belief in those big matches against the toughest opponent, [that] we can still, if the level has to be raised, raise it and match them, and actually get more points than them,” he told TNT Sports in an exclusive interview.

“I think it’s really important for two reasons. One, because it makes you realise that actually, you have the level that is required to win it, because they are the two previous winners. And to realise as well, that even if we have eight points [from the head-to-head matches], compared to three from them, we’re still not first, so we have lost some points somewhere and we need to catch up.

“We need to be really, really clever now, to make them count when it comes to different games.”

Under Arteta, Arsenal have gone from a side routinely beaten heavily by the league’s big two, to competing alongside them at the top of the table.

The Spaniard admits that closing the gap was a big process that required work both on and off the pitch, and virtually a complete change of mentality at the Emirates.

“First of all, having the humility to accept that they are the ones that have to be caught because they’ve done it,” he explained. “And then look at them and try to implement things, obviously in training and recruitment in developing our players and our self-belief, culture, to think in a way that we want to be better than them. And having the drive and the desire, and the willingness of everybody to try to get to that point.”

Although Arsenal will be fully focused on their own matches, Arteta revealed that he will be watching out for his rivals’ results, albeit that won’t be any different to his usual football watching habits.

“I always watch the Premier League matches and the top sides, for sure,” he says. “Because I love watching good football and learning from it. And on top of that, obviously, when you are fighting, it doesn’t only depend on you. So you have to keep an eye on it.”

Arsenal’s rise up the table in involvement in the title battle this year has been characterised by both a brutal, efficient attack and a mean, stubborn defence, with the team scoring the most (70) and conceding the fewest (24) goals in the league so far this season.

On Sunday however, the attack was far quieter than we have been used to seeing from the Gunners recently, as a more defensive-minded approach saw them limit their opponents to just one shot on target, despite only having 27.5% possession.

Arteta believes this disciplined strategy was necessary on the day, and highlighted both his side’s ability to switch things up tactically, as well as the strength to stay focused in order to prevent their opponents from capitalising.

“Now, I think the mentality was really strong,” he said. “Especially when we had to play in certain parts of the pitch that we’re not that used to, and still be really happy, and be really committed and disciplined to do it and do what it takes to try to win the game.”

Arsenal have a packed calendar with the Luton match the first of eight games in April, with the prospect of a ninth should they advance to the semi-final of the Champions League.

With the fixtures coming thick and fast, Arteta says the team and club are doing their best to make sure preparations and plans are in place for the quick turnaround between games, as well as trying to prevent injuries, fatigue and burnout impacting his players.

“There’s a lot of planning going on there,” he admitted. “It’s physical and mental as well, so that we have the freshness to do the tactical preparation that we need, line-up changes, possible subs, preparing for very different scenarios, and then on the day, you have to make the right call.

“Relying on the people that are experts in that field, who we have a lot of,” he said, on monitoring player fitness when picking his teams. “And listening to players as well, feeling what is the mood, what is the energy about them and then trying to make the right decisions.”

On the hectic fixture list, he add: “We knew that was coming. It happens, especially when you’re playing in Europe. Compared to other leagues, I think as a competition, it is not equal because they have more rest than we have, and it happens with France or Germany or Portugal in this case.

“We have to adapt, we know what it is. We have the luxury as well to play in this league. So everything cannot be always on your side.”

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Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal’s impressive defence could be “critical” to their Premier League title ambitions this season, and praised William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior for their contributions in the Gunners backline.

City and Liverpool are next best with nine clean sheets, while the Gunners also remain the team with the best defence in the division having conceded just 24 goals in 29 games.

“I think that’s going to be critical,” Arteta said in an exclusive interview with TNT Sports.

“I think if you want to win championships, your defence has to be extremely consistent and very difficult to beat.

“We have that and it’s great to have the players, how they live their defensive phase and the contribution that they put in every ball to make it really difficult for the opponent.”

One of the Gunners’ standout performers in their backline has been William Saliba, who won the Player of the Match award following the draw at the Etihad, in addition to collecting the same accolade when Arsenal held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield earlier in the season.

Arteta was happy to praise Saliba but also quick to point out that his team-mates have helped him become such an integral player this season.

“He deserves a lot of credit,” said Arteta. “Because at his age to do what he’s doing at a top club, it’s very difficult.

“And that’s credit to him, but as well as the people he’s had in his pathway that have brought him to this point in the best possible condition.

“And then as well his team-mates. You know, in the end, you are as good as the people you are surrounded with, and I think he’s very lucky to have the people that he plays alongside and to do the job that he needs to do.”

With Saliba alongside centre-back partner Gabriel, Arsenal have conceded just four Premier League goals in 2024 and remarkably, in two matches against Erling Haaland, restricted the otherwise freescoring City hitman to a grand total of zero shots.

Arteta noted that he was pleased to see Saliba as a part of a strong defensive unit.

He added: “More than that [his partnership with Gabriel], I think it’s as well with the holding midfielders and the full-backs and the goalkeeper and the relationship that they have as well, with the coaches to instil that desire as well to defend and defend our house the way we have to do it.”

Another key presence in the Arsenal backline currently is Kiwior, who has started the last 10 Premier League matches, mostly at left-back.

In the absence of Oleksander Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu, the Polish defender has seamlessly found his feet in an otherwise unfamiliar position having nominally been signed as a centre-back.

Arteta expressed his delight at Kiwior’s versatility and the manner in which he has performed after stepping in.

“Very good!” effused the Spaniard. “Especially because obviously he had not a lot of moments before. We had some injuries, and we are asking him to play in a position that he hasn’t played, and he’s adapting very fast and his performances, they’ve been really consistent.

“And that’s why you need the players that when you call on them, they step in and they get the job done.”

With Arteta no doubt delighted to have Kiwior perform as an able deputy, the Gunners boss is also happy to welcome back several injured players from the treatment table ahead of a busy final stretch of the campaign.

Against City, the Gunners boss was able to bring Thomas Partey, Gabriel Martinelli and Tomiyasu off the bench, highlighting what he believes is improved strength in depth as his side challenges in the league and UEFA Champions League.

With long-term absentee Jurrien Timber the only major injury concern, Arteta suggested that the competition for places is only going to benefit the players and his team.

“I don’t think they’re gonna be happy to be on the bench,” he said of his squad. “But they have to be super happy. And they have to have the mindset to impact the game and the team when they’re required.

“Some of them, because they’ve been out for a long, long, long time, they are really willing to make a huge contribution to a team because they have missed a lot of football.”

TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.

Arsenal v Luton will be live on TNT Sports 2 with coverage from 18:30 on TNT Sports 2 ahead of kick-off at 19:30.