Arsenal must learn the lessons of losing to Man City in the Carabao Cup final and use the pain to get them over the line in this season’s Premier League title race, manager Mikel Arteta says.
The Gunners’ Four Dreams came to an end with a 2-0 loss to City before the international break, but they are still in a good position to win this season’s Premier League, currently leading Josep Guardiola’s side by nine points despite having played more games, while facing draws in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Champions League.
But Arteta wants his players to remember the hurt they felt at Wembley full-time.
“I felt it (disappointment) right away, but also the way we looked at ourselves and what we could have done better and how the game changes from the first half to the second half at that level,” he said.
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James Green takes a look at Arsenal’s list of players who have withdrawn from international duty and assesses whether the Premier League leaders are facing an injury crisis.
“And that’s something we need to manage better. And this will make us better, I’m sure, and we have to use it for the most important and beautiful part of the season.”
“Use the first part. If it’s like a lump of poison in your stomach, get rid of it as quickly and clearly as possible. How can you use that to make yourself and your team better?”
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has given a hint as to who will line up in Arsenal’s goal against Southampton in the FA Cup – can you guess who it will be?
“And there’s a part of me that thinks there has to be, and I don’t think this is going to happen for the next 30 years, because if we’re going to have a chance of winning the final at Wembley, we’ve got to achieve it.
“So, that should stay there and that’s part of who you’re going to be in the coming weeks, the coming months, the coming years. And learn from it and remember what happened and make sure that that fire is still in your belly.”
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Carabao Cup Final Arsenal vs Manchester City Highlights
Arteta has told his players the aim is to get back to Wembley immediately for May’s FA Cup final, but first they must overcome a difficult game against Southampton on Saturday night to secure a place in the last eight.
“This is a big competition and is very closely connected to the history of our football club. We are going to play a team that is in a really good period,” he said of a Saints side who are currently seventh in the Championship and in good form.
Declan Rice looks disappointed at full-time at Wembley
“They’ve won a lot of games recently,” he added. “We’re ready for them and we want to go to Wembley again. We’re going to be ready for that.”
“The magic of the FA Cup is that there is history in every scenario, in every situation. This is a special game and we are ready for it tomorrow.”
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Are Arsenal worried about injuries? Noni Madueke was spotted leaving Wembley with his leg strapped in after coming on as a substitute in England’s match against Uruguay.
There was also some good news on the injury front as Noni Madueke’s knee injury sustained on international duty was not as serious as initially thought.
The winger was sent off in the first half of England’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay at Wembley last Friday, but Arteta admitted he could be back within “a few days”.
William Saliba after the final whistle against City
“No, it’s not that serious. The symptoms were very bad and Noni was very worried, especially since it happened to her other knee a few weeks ago and she was out for six weeks.”
“But no, I’m far from that injury, so that was really good news.”
Captain Martin Odegaard and Dutch defender Julien Timber are both in contention to feature on the south coast, while forward Ebelesi Eze remains sidelined with a calf problem before the Carabao Cup final, while Piero Hincapie will also be sidelined.
“He was absent,” Arteta said of Eze. “As for him, I can’t say how long he’ll last because he’s a special character.”
