LONDON • Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta still sees a bright future for the beleaguered English Premier League club, despite overseeing their worst start to a season for 67 years.
They climbed off the bottom of the Premier League table with their first goal and first points of the campaign by beating Norwich 1-0 last weekend.
However, the Spaniard remains under immense pressure ahead of today's trip to Burnley, in 18th place and just two spots below Arsenal, after spending £150 million (S$270 million) on new players during the transfer window.
With none of them being star names, pundits have claimed that Arsenal have paid over the odds but Arteta is optimistic they are headed in the right direction as all six summer signings are aged 23 or under.
"I'm telling you I'm very positive most of the time. I've seen the light and I can see bright lights," he said at his pre-match press conference.
He is also hopeful the fierce criticism the squad suffered after comprehensive defeats by Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City would only serve to make the players mentally stronger.
"It's tough because it hurts, because you want to see something different. But what you want is not always what happens," he added. "Things happen for a reason and maybe what is happening had to happen... it's going to be really good for the club and really good for myself and everybody experiencing that situation. We have to believe that."
One of the new faces is Aaron Ramsdale. With Arsenal having spent £24 million on the England Under-21 goalkeeper, who has also been called up to the senior side, some critics have questioned why Arteta would splash out that much money on a No. 2.
However, the 23-year-old made his first league start of the season against Norwich and is expected to again keep out Bernd Leno at Turf Moor today.
The Germany goalkeeper conceded nine goals in his first three games of the term and Arteta has said that he can no longer guarantee him a starting place.
"We have to change something and Aaron has come here to try to make us better," he said.
"How can I guarantee somebody something? It wouldn't make sense with what we are demanding them to do... what you did three months ago in football, it doesn't count. It is what you're going to do today and tomorrow, and that's it."
Rob Holding and Mohamed Elneny miss out through injury, while Granit Xhaka serves the second of his three-match ban for Arsenal.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
BURNLEY V ARSENAL
Ch104 & Ch229, 9.50pm
