Mikel Arteta is not looking past rivals Chelsea ahead of Sunday’s London derby, despite being paired in an intriguing European battle against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Gunners are yet to pick up a win in their last three games, which has left them 15 points behind leaders Liverpool – with fellow top four rivals Nottingham Forest and Chelsea catching up.
The Blues sit fourth, six points behind Arsenal — and ahead of the derby at the Emirates Stadium, where Chelsea lost 5-0 last season, Arteta insists times have changed following the initial 1-1 result at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season.
“It’s two teams that want to be very dominant in their way of playing, very aggressive in the high press and the way we have to have the ball,” Arteta said.
“There is a lot of individual quality on that pitch, so it’s about imposing what you want in the direction you want to take the game and keep them very far from their strengths, that’s going to be key.”
With their quarter final tie against Madrid to come next month, Arteta sounded vocal of a mouthwatering encounter to come.
Arsenal dispatched PSV Eindhoven 9-3 on aggregate to qualify for the last eight of Europe’s premiere competition to face the 15-time winners – whom they have played just once before in the competition, eliminating the Spanish giants over two legs while on their way to reaching the final in 2006.
“Fascinating draw, we play the club with the biggest history in the competition,” Arteta said to reporters.
“Very excited to play against them, but before that we have some big matches in the Premier League.”
Arsenal are still playing without a striker due to season-ending injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz but Arteta received huge encouragement after Gabriel Martinelli returned following a month on the sidelines while Bukayo Saka is also close to full fitness.
“We have more options but we have to manage the load, he [Martinelli] is a little bit ahead of schedule and we don’t want to take any risks with him by loading him with more minutes,” Arteta said.
“Saka is getting closer, he’s stepping up and making very good progress. Let’s see, we have to throw him into the team, see how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.”
