SM
Watford vs. Leeds: 13 hrs 31 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
AL
Premier League | Gameweek 33
Apr 23, 2021 at 8pm UK
Emirates Stadium
EL

Arsenal
0 - 1
Everton

 
FT(HT: 0-0)
Leno (76' og.)
Partey (38'), Allan (55'), Holgate (63'), Delph (68')

Mikel Arteta: 'We must focus on Everton clash'

:Headline: Mikel Arteta: 'We must focus on Everton clash':
The Gunners are looking to leapfrog the Toffees and reach eighth place in the Premier League table.
Sports Mole

Mikel Arteta wants to keep his Arsenal players focused on the task of facing Everton on Friday night despite a turbulent week off the pitch which saw the club backtrack on plans to join a breakaway European Super League and their supporters plan protests against the owners.

The Gunners host Arteta's former club in the Premier League, looking to leapfrog the visitors and reach eighth place with a win.

But the fixture will be played out against a backdrop of one of the most tumultuous weeks in the recent history of football.

Arsenal, along with five other Premier League clubs, announced on Sunday evening their plans to be founder members of a new European Super League.

The response from supporters and the wider footballing world was almost completely negative to the extent that, by Tuesday evening, Arsenal – as well as Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – withdrew from the process.

Although Arsenal apologised to their supporters in a statement confirming they had quit the project, the wedge between fans and the club's owners had already grown larger.

There are now protests planned against Stan Kroenke to take place outside the Emirates Stadium ahead of the Everton clash – with Arteta keen to keep the minds of his players on the task at hand.

"I will try to prepare the team in the best possible way so that isn't the case," he said when asked if he was worried the week's events could prove a distraction.

“It's been a really challenging week for everybody in world football but we have to move forward. ”
- Mikel Arteta

"We know that we might have a situation outside the stadium because our fans want to express their feelings, and our job is to try to make the team as focused as possible to perform on the pitch.

"I am getting used to it, since I joined it has been a roller coaster and more things have happened in those 18 months than probably in the last 20 years.

"Dealing with it, trying to maintain the unity and commitment of everybody, trying to be clear and transparent with the news that we have, and trying to move on.

"It's been a really challenging week for everybody in world football but we have to move forward.

"There are a lot of lessons we can take from it and we have to learn and probably reflect and put football in a better position."

Arsenal will come up against former head coach Unai Emery's Villarreal side in the Europa League semi-finals (Adam Davy/PA)

With Arsenal nine points off the top four and with a Europa Leaue semi-final against Villarreal on the horizon, Arteta admits winning their remaining seven league games may be the only route into Europe through the Premier League.

"I want to focus on Everton," he added.

"We still have more than five days to prepare (for the first leg against Villarreal) and how we get on there will depend on how we do against Everton and that is the only focus today for the team.

"We need to win every game now in the Premier League to give us the best possible chance to be in Europe next season through that competition."

body check tags ::

amp_article__444329 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-04-22 12:30:52:
html db last update - 2021-04-22 11:16:13 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!

Click here for more stories about Mikel Arteta

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Mikel Arteta Football
Recommended Next on SM
Arsenal without Aubameyang and Lacazette for Everton game
Liverpool 'resigned to missing out on top managerial candidate'
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Man City quoted £86m for "exceptional" Newcastle man?

1

MC

Man City injury, suspension list vs. Arsenal - De Bruyne, Stones and more

2

MC

Preview: Guimaraes vs. Moreirense - prediction, team news, lineups

3

PG

Arsenal 'suffer blow in pursuit of PSG attacker'

4

A'

Man Utd could raise £105m through player sales this summer

5

MU

Mainoo, Rashford, Palmer handed boost in Euro 2024 hopes?

6

MR

Preview: B. Leverkusen vs. Hoffenheim - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PB

Jurgen Klopp 'reveals Alisson Becker return date'

8

JK

Preview: Brentford vs. Man Utd - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PB

Arsenal 'optimistic over triple injury boost for Man City clash'

10

A'


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .