Cup tie with City can revive Arsenal's season: Arteta

LONDON • Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged his side to use today's League Cup quarter-final against holders Manchester City as a catalyst to turn their fortunes around and salvage their season.

The Gunners have lost five of their last seven Premier League games and lie in 15th place with 14 points, marking their worst start to a season since 1974-75.

But victory at the Emirates could ease some pressure on Arteta, who is fighting to stay in the job as sack rumours grow louder.

"This is what we want to use it for. This is a competition that we want to try to win," the Spaniard said at his virtual news conference yesterday. "We had two difficult (League Cup) opponents before with Leicester and Liverpool.

"We managed to beat them both and now we're one step closer to Wembley. It's a really nice game for us to play because it's the type of game we're looking for through the season."

Insisting he still had the backing of the Arsenal board despite British media linking former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri with his job, Arteta said: "Within the club, my feeling is just support, encouragement and total confidence we're going to get through this together.

"A club of this stature deserves the best and when it's not happening, everyone is going to question it. I'm responsible in terms of results so I have to accept that."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who missed the league defeat at Everton on Saturday, will be absent again due to a calf injury but Arteta is hopeful his captain will make a quick return.

"He was more positive yesterday than the previous two days. He will have another scan and we will see how quickly we can get him back in the team," he added. "He knows how important he is for us."

Unlike Arsenal, City are not floundering in the league but the goal-shy team are still performing below expectations this term.

Today's visitors have scored only twice in their last three league games and just 19 overall.

Poor form and injuries have plagued Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero respectively. The Brazilian has just two league goals while the latter has made only three appearances in the league this term.

Both forwards did not feature in Saturday's win at Southampton. While Jesus is set to return against Arsenal, City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed Aguero, an unused substitute at St Mary's, will again be absent. The Catalan also admitted City had no plans to dip into the transfer market when it opens next month as the coronavirus pandemic has curtailed their budget for a new striker.

Asked about the prospect of new faces, he said yesterday: "No I don't think so because the economic situation around the world is what it is. All the clubs struggle, we are not an exception."

On their scoring woes, he replied: "We are creating clear chances that we cannot score and when this happens we are always going to suffer. That's why I'm not able to say how we will be this season. Game by game is the only thing I can do and now we go to London to play Arsenal in the League Cup."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS