Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remains confident in his team’s ability to bounce back from their recent poor form as they prepare to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Gunners are without a win in their last three Premier League matches, collecting just one point during that spell.
The north London side’s struggles continued midweek with a 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League, leaving them desperate to end their slump in this weekend’s London derby.
In a team meeting held on Friday, Arteta expressed his determination to turn things around, emphasising his personal drive for success.
“Obviously when you don’t win it affects the mood and the energy. The positive is there is nobody inside or outside of this building who wants to win more than I do,” Arteta told reporters.
The Spaniard was encouraged by his players’ response, adding: “They are paying attention, they are hungry, they want to work.
Mikel Arteta has sent a defiant message amid Arsenal’s poor form
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“Their desire is unbelievable. They are a joy to work with.”
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard could be in line for a return to the starting lineup after making a substitute appearance against Inter Milan following his ankle injury.
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“Certainly having a player like Martin helps because he has shown how important he is over the last three or four years,” Arteta said.
However, the manager remained cautious about rushing his midfielder back, noting that while Odegaard is available for selection, a final decision on whether he will start has not yet been made.
The availability of midfielder Declan Rice remains uncertain for Sunday’s clash after he missed the midweek trip to Milan.
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“I have to be very vague on [Rice] because there is no clarity on if he is going to be fit or not for the weekend,” Arteta explained.
The Arsenal boss added further uncertainty to Rice’s status, stating: “He hasn’t trained yet and it is not clear yet whether he is going to be available.”
Mikel Arteta has refused to divulge details on injury returns at Arsenal
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Despite recent setbacks, Arteta remains convinced the team’s issues can be addressed swiftly.
“The problem is quite identifiable and very resolvable,” the Arsenal manager stated.
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Arsenal suffered defeat against Inter Milan, a result Mikel Arteta could not comprehend
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Reflecting on the Inter Milan defeat, Arteta expressed his belief in the team’s underlying performance: “Watching the Inter match back twice, I have never seen my team do that to anyone.
“You think how the hell haven’t we won that game.”
“The team is doing 10 times better than last season but at the end of the day you have to win.”