Football
Soccer

    Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to stay focused on winning against Tottenham

    Planet Sport writerStaff Writer26 April 2024
    arsenal-manager-mikel-arteta-applauds-fans16

    arsenal-manager-mikel-arteta-applauds-fans16

    Mikel Arteta urges his players to put their north London rivalry with Tottenham to one side and keep Arsenal top of the Premier League with a win over Spurs.

    The Gunners will make the short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday knowing they will remain at the summit if they leave with the three points.

    It would take Arsenal a step closer to a first league crown in two decades, when Arsene Wenger's Invincibles secured the title at White Hart Lane.

    Spurs have since moved into a new home and will have a partisan crowd cheering them on against Arsenal as the hosts aim to keep their own top-four ambitions on track.

    Arteta wants to remove the emotion of derby day and focus on the job at hand.

    "We played there a few times already and it's a great place to play football," he said.

    "We have to put the rivalry aside and we have to live the game with passion and the intensity that it demands rather than anything special because the game has everything you need to enjoy it."

    Remarkably, Arsenal have played four matches since Tottenham last kicked a ball – losing to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final but beating Wolves and Chelsea to stay top, even if Manchester City have a game in hand.

    However, Arteta does not want to use fixture congestion as an excuse heading into one of the most important north London derbies in recent history.

    "For sure we're going to be fully ready," he said.

    "We have a bit of time to recover and prepare from the Chelsea game and I'm sure we're going to be fully ready to go again on Sunday.

    Recommended Offers

    betting card

    £30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses + 100 Free Spins

    CLAIM OFFER
    New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets are available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on More Unusual Suspects (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days after the new account is registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad
    betting card

    Get up to £50 Welcome Bonus

    CLAIM OFFER
    New customers only. Opt-in required. 100% Match Bonus up to £50 on 1st deposit of £10+. 50x wagering & game weighting applies. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad
    betting card

    Get £10 in Free Bets

    CLAIM OFFER
    New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £10. Free Bet awarded: £10. 1 x £10 must be wagered at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free bet will expire 7 days after the 1st deposit. 18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad

    "I love the fact that we played four games. We had some great experiences. It's been a really demanding week.

    "We had some great results in the last two. That's boosted the confidence of everybody. We're in a good place."

    Despite being top of the table, Opta's predictions give Arsenal just a 26.6 per cent chance of lifting the Premier League, with City firm favourites following a comfortable win over Brighton on Thursday.

    "Maybe we can tweak the computer to make it a bit higher," Arteta added with a smile.

    "Maybe it needs to update the software, we can help it to update the software and give it more tools. Hopefully we can change that."

    Related News