Consistency is key for Arsenal, says Mikel Arteta
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be boosted by his team's 5-1 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League as he prepares to take his side to West Ham United.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is hoping to build on momentum as he prepares his team for their English Premier League trip to West Ham United on Nov 30.
The Gunners head into the match in good form, having thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League on Nov 26, a game that followed a 3-0 league win over Nottingham Forest on Nov 23.
The defeat of Forest ended a four-game winless streak in the Premier League, and kept Arsenal in the top four.
“Winning lifts the energy and the confidence up,” said Arteta.
“They were two big wins for us and now it’s about consistency and getting that momentum and taking it even further against a really good opponent tomorrow.
“It doesn’t matter what you did yesterday, it’s about the next day and the next performance and how you are able to sustain high levels of performance because of how competitive every opponent is. And that is what we will try and do tomorrow.”
Arsenal are nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, but are just one point behind struggling Manchester City in second.
With Liverpool and City clashing on Dec 1, either one or both teams will drop points and Arteta knows that his team must take advantage of this situation.
When asked if he would be watching the match, he said: “Yes, 100 per cent. It’s a big match, a beautiful match to watch. Two of the best teams in Europe facing each other and they are competition for us, so it’s a big one.”
The Gunners are seeking their first league win on the road since Sept 15, when they beat rivals Tottenham Hotspur 1-0.
Arsenal have lost in only two of their 26 Premier League London derbies since the start of the 2022-23 season, scoring in 25 of those encounters.
West Ham are relatively weaker opponents compared to Spurs, so anything less than a win would be an upset, considering their current form.
Arteta does have an injury concern in centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, who scored against Sporting but was withdrawn towards the end. Defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined.
As for West Ham, their manager Julen Lopetegui will not be in the dugout as he will serve a touchline ban after being cautioned for the third time this campaign.
Mohammed Kudus is also suspended, while Niclas Fullkrug and Jean-Clair Todibo are injury doubts.
The Hammers are 14th in the table following their 2-0 win over Newcastle United, and now have a six-point lead over relegation-threatened Ipswich Town in 18th.
West Ham have claimed four points from their last nine, and have lost just one of their last four matches against Arsenal.
Spaniard Lopetegui, like Arteta, has warned his players that every game is a new one and not to get carried away by their victory over Newcastle.
“Always it’s important to win matches but, I repeat, it’s the past and we have to focus on the next challenge,” he said.
“I am not going to be in the dugout, and maybe I have to improve my way because I have three yellow cards, but it’s done. So, we have to be ready for a really tough challenge against top players. We have to believe in ourselves.”
