Mikel Arteta Discusses Emirates Atmosphere, Odegaard’s Professionalism, and Saka’s Development

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta addressed the media in advance of Wednesday’s Premier League match against Manchester United, scheduled for a 20:15 GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his press conference: Arteta confirmed that a meeting “will have a meeting” later on Tuesday to determine the availability of Gabriel, Mikel Merino, Thomas Partey, and Ricardo Calafiori for the game, adding, “They all want to play”. Regarding the FA Cup draw against Manchester United, Arteta commented: “You can get anybody. We play at home, it is going to be a big match again. Has been the story of last few seasons that in the third or fourth round we are playing big, big opponents… It is what it is. We accept it.” The Gunners’ boss believes Ruben Amorim’s “fingerprints in what he wants to do straight away” are visible at United, bringing “new energy to the club”. However, Arteta cautioned that Arsenal must “focus on what we have to do”. When questioned about whether the team had moved past their “blip” early this season, Arteta responded: “We hope that we have. With the schedule and certain circumstances that we have had to adapt to that. We still competed really well but didn’t have the consistency of results that we wanted [last season]. We have a really good run, we have good momentum now, we have a big beautiful match tomorrow night.” Arteta stated that he is not “surprise” by Martin Odegaard’s sharp form since his return, with the manager remarking: “The way he looks after himself, the way he talks, the way he trains, the way he looked before he re-joined the team – he was super sharp. The team has a huge confidence and trust in him.” Arteta has observed a “transformation in atmosphere” at the Emirates Stadium since he first played there. He feels “the energy the crowd provide, it is something exceptional” and indicated that this will be essential for Wednesday’s match against United. Concerning Bukayo Saka’s progress, particularly his goals and assists this season, Arteta stated: “In terms of numbers, yes. But, we always see a shift from Bukayo every single year. He is providing something else. He is adding things to his game, he is more consistent. Now his numbers in terms of goals and assists is incredible at this stage and he can only get better and improve.” Regarding the winger’s admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo during his younger years, Arteta commented: “It was about his [Ronaldo’s] mentality. His work ethic, how he developed his skills, his chemistry with his team and to play in a team that has the capacity to be dominant is very, very important. I think Bukayo has that context and he is aiming for that and that is a positive thing.” Complete live coverage of Arsenal versus Manchester United will be broadcast from 20:15 GMT on Wednesday via BBC Radio 5 Live. Stay updated with all Premier League press conferences from Tuesday and other football news throughout the day. Sandi Toksvig will be joined by Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. Sing along to tracks by Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, and more. Ben Fogle and Kate Humble return for the festive events at Longleat Safari Park. Topics range from airborne, soil, and waterway microplastics to the amount of food waste at this time of year. © 2024 BBC. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.