Mikel Arteta backs Arsenal to beat anyone after Champions League progress

GIRONA – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side could handle any opposition after progressing directly to the Champions League last 16, with a 2-1 win at Girona on Jan 29.

A much-rotated Gunners side defeated the La Liga outfit with goals from Jorginho and Ethan Nwaneri after falling behind to Arnaut Danjuma’s first-half strike.

Arsenal finished in third spot in the 36-team standings, which meant they avoided the play-off phase that was added this season, and will play Juventus, AC Milan, Feyenoord or PSV Eindhoven in the last 16.

“Winning in this competition is very demanding but overall the team has been very consistent, regardless of all the issues they have had to face,” Arteta told reporters after a fourth consecutive European victory.

“(Hopefully it breeds) more belief in that dressing room that we are a good team and we can face anyone, and still perform and win games.”

Neto made his Arsenal debut against Girona in goal, with Arteta saying first-choice custodian David Raya was sidelined.

“He certainly could not play, he is injured,” explained the manager, ahead of Manchester City’s impending visit to face Arsenal in the English Premier League in a key title-race clash on Feb 2.

Veteran Brazilian goalkeeper Neto, 35, erred for Girona’s opener, with the Bournemouth loanee caught out of his box and Danjuma able to finish past him from distance. Attacking midfielder Nwaneri led the line for Arsenal and finished brilliantly for the winner, with teammate Mikel Merino hailing the 17-year-old starlet.

“He is ruthless, he has no fear on the pitch. He has a really high ceiling and we are going to help him reach it,” Merino told TNT Sports.

The academy talent, who joined Arsenal at the age of eight, has continued to impress since a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka late in December.

Arteta praised the teenager for his exciting display, which earned him the Player-of-the-Match gong at Estadi Montilivi.

“That’s what we love about him, he’s willing to take the initiative to make things happen,” he said.

“He’s very aggressive when he’s got the ball and so confident because, before that, he had another action, a very similar one, he made the right choice, he went for it. He has the capacity to finish from every angle basically and it was a very important goal.

“It’s very natural for him, you can see the way he takes the touches, how he beats people and then the technique he’s got, he’s so precise in his finishing, put him a lot of times in that situation and the outcome will be good.”

Arsenal have been linked in English media with a bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins to reinforce their attack with forward Gabriel Jesus out injured, but Arteta did not want to comment on the matter.

“I can’t talk about any of that – my confidence is that we have an amazing club with people always working to try and improve. Let’s see what happens,” he added.

Only Liverpool garnered more points than the Gunners in the expanded Champions League group phase. Said Arsenal midfielder Jorginho: “We have to take confidence because (there are) so many teams and, after finishing in third place, we need to keep believing in what we are doing and keep pushing.”

Last season’s La Liga surprise packages Girona, meanwhile, ended 33rd after a single win in eight matches in their debut Champions League jaunt.

On the campaign, Danjuma said: “There’s a lot to learn. We’ve had some games where we could have done better. It takes its price physically and mentally for the players, it’s been tough (but) it’s been a phenomenal experience... We try to gain the bits we can learn from and take it into the league.”

His coach Michel added: “We’ve been respectful to our way of playing, taking charge with the ball – it isn’t easy coming out from behind against an Arsenal side who press you a lot.” REUTERS, AFP