Mikel Arteta had plenty to smile about after we recorded a ‘huge’ win over Brighton, to extend our lead at the top of the table.
After the game the boss was asked in his post-match press conference about the win, the performance, the impact our supporters made and more.
Here’s a full transcript:
on a hard-fought victory:
It’s a huge win. We knew how tough it was going to be. We’re coming back from a very difficult game with a lot of intensity, with players really going through the line in every game, with difficulties, not able to train and to come here and get the result that we got, I think it’s remarkable.
on the Arsenal supporters’ impact:
Unbelievable. From the first minute, I just mentioned it, the energy that they brought, the passion, the positivity to the team, it was amazing. Many moments we thought that we were playing very close with them and that was very helpful.
on Fabian Hurzeler’s post-match comments:
What a surprise. You can just go back to the previous games and you will find a lot of comments. I love my players. That’s the highlight. I love my players, we love our players, and I love the way that we compete.
on the ‘anger’ aimed at his players from the outside:
I think they love our players, and every time they talk about our players, I think they’re the most loved ones in the country.
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on the atmosphere at the Amex Stadium, and if he enjoys it:
We need to, obviously. When you are in the position that we are in, they want to take that away from you. That’s normal, that’s sport. We need to take that with normality and we need to confront it in the right way.
0n the short turnaround between games:
It is the league. I mean, when you look at the amount of minutes that players have played in comparison to last season, they are already much higher than last season. That’s the schedule, the normality that we have now in the competition that we are in. We have to accept it, but the level of energy and desire that they put in, it’s phenomenal.
on if not having much time to train had an impact on the game and the quantity of long balls:
No, I think that was down to especially what happened certainly in the game as well and the lack of composure that we had in certain moments – probably our heart rate is a little bit too high in certain moments because we are trying to recover as well. So obviously that’s not the intention, but the players at the end have to make the decision. If they believe that throughout certain moments they have to do that, they have to do it.
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on if he wants the number to be lower:
Yes.
on if he cares what other managers have to say:
It depends. on the comments, the purpose.
on Bukayo Saka’s 300th Arsenal appearance and winning goal:
Unbelievable. Unbelievable numbers at his age to produce the amount of games, to do it in the manner that he’s done it and the stats that he’s got related to those games is just incredible. So a big night for him.
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on if Hurzeler’s comments were unfair:
Next question.
on when he found out Manchester City’s result against Nottingham Forest:
When I was walking to our supporters because I saw a reaction and I said, ‘what happened?’ because it was something a little bit strange, so yeah, I didn’t know.
on if he cares about other results during the game:
During the game we have enough on our plate to be focused on! Sometimes yes, if we’re at home and there’s a reaction, you can notice something, but I didn’t.
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