Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal supporters to create “more energy and more positiveness” in the club’s pursuit of a first Premier League title in 22 years.
Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in the best shape to end their barren league run since Arsene Wenger led the Invincibles to glory more than two decades ago.
However, Arteta’s side have played out two goalless draws in their last league fixtures – at home to Liverpool and then at Nottingham Forest – to fuel an already anxious fanbase. Arsenal have finished runners-up for the past three seasons.
But, speaking on the eve of another pivotal match in his side’s title tilt, Arteta said: “It is not about calming (the fans), but it is about continuing to do what we are doing really well and try to evolve every single day to be better.
“So, from their side, it is continuing to do what they do in the stadium; create more energy, more positiveness around the games in each action, and if we do that and we create that kind of a scenario, we are going to make it more and more difficult to the opponent, and that is going to help us to win more games.”
Michael Carrick started his interim United tenure with an emphatic 2-0 win against Manchester City at Old Trafford last weekend.
“They are so good in a lot of departments,” continued Arteta. “It is clear that when that team has the space to run and certain players to activate their runs, they become lethal and you saw that a few days ago in Manchester.
“Michael coming in will bring new ideas. Always, the intensity rises up. And you could see that in the Manchester derby, the kind of behaviours and the game that they played, so we will expect a really tough match and we’ll adapt to that for sure. But we are at home and we know how important that game is for us.”
Arteta is set to have a virtually fully fit squad to choose from with teenager Max Dowman the sole first-team player sidelined.
Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie are available again following injury lay-offs, while Arteta will have to choose whether to keep Gabriel Jesus in the starting line-up – following his two-goal haul against Inter Milan on Tuesday – or revert to Viktor Gyokeres who has struck only five league goals this season.
