Mikel Arteta has revealed Arsenal held a team meeting after their defeat against Manchester United on Sunday “to take the temperature down”, insisting the league leaders must “play with enjoyment” in order to win a first Premier League title for 22 years.
A late goal from Matheus Cunha inflicted on Arsenal their first home defeat of the season, with their lead at the top of the table remaining at four points after weekend victories for Manchester City and Aston Villa. Arteta’s side have finished as runners-up in the past three seasons and Arsenal have now spent 884 days at the summit since Arsène Wenger’s Invincibles were crowned champions in 2004.
But after their meeting on Monday, when he and the players discussed the challenges they will face between now and the end of the season, Arteta is confident his players can and will embrace the pressure. “The reaction has been excellent,” he said.
“We took a moment to bring the temperature down, to pause and to reflect and ask two questions. One is: ‘How do we feel, and how do I feel myself?’ And then: ‘How are we going to live the next four months?’ It was so encouraging and beautiful because what came out of that is very simple.
“We have earned the right to be in a great position in four competitions, and in the next four months we’re going to live and play with enjoyment, with a lot of courage and with the conviction that we’re going to win it.”
Asked whether anxiety from the home crowd during the second half against United had affected his players, Arteta said: “That’s why I encouraged them to jump in this boat because it’s going to be fun. Because the excitement, that conviction, that energy, that will is the way you have to live when you want to achieve a dream.
“For me that’s the only way to live it because we’re going to give absolutely everything. We’re going to prepare in the best possible way and the best chance to deliver what we want is putting all the energy and channelling the energy into that direction.”
Arsenal’s co-chair, Josh Kroenke, is in London for the Champions League meeting against the Kazakh side Kairat on Wednesday when the hosts will bid to become the first club to win all eight matches in the new league phase format, which was introduced last season. William Saliba and Jurriën Timber will miss out because of minor injuries, but Christian Nørgaard – who has yet to start in the Premier League since joining from Brentford in the summer – looks poised to make a third Champions League start of the season, replacing Martín Zubimendi in midfield.
Arteta denied Zubimendi needs a rest after his mistake against United led to Bryan Mbeumo’s equaliser, while Nørgaard was adamant that he has no interest in leaving this month after being linked with Ajax. “I am really, really happy here,” the Dane said.
“It is a learning curve for me as well. I need to also improve and show the tactics that Mikel is showing are getting under my skin. Hopefully, coming into the last part of the season I can contribute more on the pitch.”
