*Man U’s Carrick Beaten Us Before, Tomorrow It Changes, He Vows
Mikel Arteta says nobody is more driven than him to win the English Premier League (EPL) this season as he promised his Arsenal players would not be distracted by talk of them as champions-elect.
The signs for Arsenal are extremely promising despite the inevitable anxiety among their fanbase, which has been felt during the past two league matches – the 0-0 draws against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal are seven points clear at the top as they prepare for the visit of Manchester United tomorrow ; they have by far the meanest defence in the division and have shown their strength in many other areas, including set pieces.
Pep Guardiola, whose Manchester City are second, described Arsenal as “the best team in the world” on Friday and Arteta has heard the line about how it is their title to lose. Arsenal last won the league in 2003-04.
“I don’t think anybody has probably more motivation, more hunger, more desire for us to go all the way and win it [than me],” Arteta said.
“But we know that the only way to do it is focusing and being very present in the moment and doing everything that we have to do today … then do it better tomorrow. That’s the only thing we can control. The rest is just things that don’t add any value to us and they can take the focus to the wrong place.
“It is talking every single day about what we have to do, what we are doing, what we can improve. We know how tough it’s going to be on Sunday and if we start to prepare on Sunday it’s too late. So we already start to prepare after our Champions League win over Inter Milan on Tuesday,” he added.
Arteta went on to insist that City, who have faltered of late, cannot be written off.
“You don’t have to go back to the history of that club in the last 10 years and what they are capable of doing,” he said. “We know what we have to be able to do to win this Premier League.”
Arteta has to see a further reason for optimism in what is a virtual clean bill of health for his players.
Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié trained on Friday after injuries and, according to their manager, could be available against United.
Arsenal are carefully managing Kai Havertz’s return from a long-term layoff but the only confirmed injury absentee is Max Dowman.
For many years, it has been near-impossible to second-guess Guardiola’s lineups. Now, with high-level options in every position, Arteta has the element of surprise.
“That is always very positive,” he said. “For the players, as well, because that means they have to raise their standards in training to earn the right to play. And the moment we want to change the game we are going to have options to do that. It is something that, in the last few years, we have not had for different reasons. It is something that, once we have it, we have to make sure we use it in the right way,” he said.
Arteta has history as a player and manager against Michael Carrick, who is back for a second spell as the United interim manager.
At the end of the first in 2021-22, Carrick’s team beat Arteta’s Arsenal 3-2 at Old Trafford.
“He is one of my favourite No 6s,” Arteta said. “Very intelligent and he never seemed to break sweat, he was so in control of the game. The memories are not great [against him as a manager] so we have to change them.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: Arteta (right) and his ‘troops’ at a training session.
