Mikel Arteta saw his side defeat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 and following the victory, our boss faced the press at Emirates Stadium.
Mikel gave an injury update as well as commenting on our win, thanks to a Martin Odegaard strike and an own goal from Georginio Rutter.
Read every word Mikel said following our clash against the Seagulls below.
on today’s win:
Very happy with the performance, individually and collectively, so dominant. We were a big threat, so very pleased with all of that. But the margins should have been much bigger. I mean, with the amount of situations, chances, open chances that we generated through the game, it should never be 2-1. But that’s the Premier League, that’s the step that we have to make. I think the first shot that they had, they scored the goal and then David has to make another save to maintain the result. But what I like is that we’re having a lot of issues, we’re dealing with it in an incredible way. Yesterday we lost Jurrien, today we lose Calafiori in the warm-up, Declan has to play as a full-back and you see the performance that he put in. So, that’s the spirit and that’s how much our players want it.
on having to dig deep with the number of injuries we have:
I don’t know, at the moment we’ve survived six months. So, let’s see, there’s another five-and-a-half to go. So hopefully things will get better. The good news as well, for example, we got Gabi earlier than expected, which is great. The medical staff, I think they’ve done an incredible job the way he pushes himself as well, that’s what we need because we lost one and we got somebody else back. Overall, I think the performance was, against a really good side, very, very good.
on if the injuries are uniting the group:
Yes, because as well there are injuries with Jurrien, he landed awkwardly and there’s something with Richy as well, very, very strange. But you speak to Declan and tell him he needs to play there as a right winger and he said, OK, I’m up for the challenge, I’m going to do my best, and the attitude is great to witness.
on maintaining our lead at the top despite Manchester City’s win:
We can only control what we do, and we are doing a lot of good things that I think we have to improve as well to have the margins better. We need more players back as well to have better options and maintain the team very, very fresh. Every three days is going to be a challenge, and we are up for it.
on if a big statement win will come with the way we’re playing:
It has to be because we have a lot of quality. What I like is the way we play, the way we produce, how willing the players are to take that initiative, that aggression to make things happen, because this is a very, very difficult team to play against and I think we’ve done really well for the majority of the game.
on having to be reactive to a player getting injured in the warm-up:
No, it’s something that we have prepared because we know that it can happen. When I give the line-up, I always tell the boys and the day before is, be ready because this is football, this is the Premier League and anything can happen. Somebody can get a bug and an hour later he cannot play and you have to be in the right mental frame to be able to perform immediately and don’t go through that disappointment and that’s what the players are doing.
on Calafiori’s injury:
It’s something that he felt yesterday, it’s something very awkward that happened and today in the warm-up, he wasn’t comfortable.
on the last time we felt comfortable in a game:
Comfortable in this league? That’s a big word. When the scoreline is bigger but hopefully I don’t have to use it that often.
on if he feels the nervous energy:
Yes, because when you just conceded in the last minute, the game before against [Crystal] Palace as well when we didn’t really concede nothing and then they scored in the first shot that they had. Obviously it is, but we have to be able to go through that as well with normality, with showing composure and understanding that you don’t do that well, you are not efficient in the opponent’s book then you have to be incredibly good in your own and that’s a good way as well to go through that.
on the nervousness in the crowd:
That’s a willingness to win! We all want to win so badly. Now I don’t want to lose what I have and we have to play to continue to score and show that composure and that ability and we should have scored the third one. We have two massive chances to put it to 3-1 and then it would have been different. We haven’t, so we have to suffer a little bit more.
on if it’s sustainable to be emotional in games:
Yes, from my side, yes.
on if there’s a knock-on effect:
If you win. I think you win, you learn and you go again. The knock-on effect of winning is incredibly powerful.
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