Every word Mikel Arteta said on Bukayo Saka injury, Thomas Partey fitness and Manchester City

The Gunners manager spoke to the press on Sunday afternoon ahead of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta held a pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s big Premier League match against Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. The Arsenal manager spoke to the media about the match and team news for the Gunners side.

There are many questions about the fitness of certain players, particularly star boy Bukayo Saka, who has suffered a knock in recent weeks. Will he be back for Sunday’s game? What about Thomas Partey?

For more news on both players and more, take a look at everything Arteta said to the assembled media ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match.

He’s in the running, let’s see what happens from here until Sunday. He had to leave the field, which is never good news, but let’s see how he recovers.

What was the muscle injury?

I’ll leave that to the doctor.

Is Partey fit enough to start?

He’s ahead of schedule, that’s for sure. He wanted to add him to the team if needed, but he didn’t use him because he had other needs given the flow of the game. He will join the team.

Longest undefeated start since 2007. Why is that?

Consistency. That’s what we’re looking for. In this league, you have to give your best in every game. We were able to win many games. What we were good at was not winning and not losing, except for midweek in the Champions League. Therefore, you should try your best every 3 days.

How did David Raya settle in?

He was very good off-road with his teammates. He knows London well, he knows the way we play and he’s very used to it. He knows the league very well.

Is there anything we can get out of the Community Shield game?

This was important to us. Winning the title against City is something you always have to be grateful for, as we were. It gives us confidence and belief that we can beat them.

Has anything changed since then?

It’s been a while since the preseason ended. Some players were available, others were not. The season is still early, so I think it will be a different game.

Does Wolves’ win show that City are not as invincible as everyone thinks?

I don’t know, every team in the Premier League has the tools and qualities to beat you. As business owners, we know this all too well.

Arsenal haven’t beaten City in the league since 2015. What do I need to change?

Of course I haven’t thought about that. They are not the players who played in this game, but one thing is for sure: they will have to give their best in every aspect for 100 minutes. Then here’s your chance.

A game that decides the season?

No, it would be a big boost energy and confidence-wise but apart from that and the three points – nothing else.

How impressed are you with Ben White and are you surprised he’s being ignored by England?

I’m really happy for Ben. He has been a consistent player for us and he has always been available for us. He has shown great development as a centre-back and especially as a full-back, but there were some question marks. He has the personality of a fighter, which is the personality you need on your team, especially at this level. I’m really happy to have him.

Remember that game against Man City that we couldn’t watch due to the coronavirus? From the outside looking in, this looked like a big moment for this team’s progress. Can you feel it from home?

That’s right. I could feel it from home too. It was a big step (although in the end there were only 10 players so we didn’t really get anything out of the match). But I think last year’s home game was also a big game. Although we learned some important lessons from our play and ended up losing the game, there were also many positives to take away from this season.

If referees are not allowed to officiate certain games after this week’s events, is this a worrying precedent?

I don’t know. We have no say in it and we have no control over it. I think they try to make the best decisions, they try to protect the game, they try to get as much support as possible, and they’re also ruthless when necessary. At some point, we also need to offer support and understand that mistakes happen. We also make mistakes. I think if you don’t do that, the pressure will be too much and you will have a hard time dealing with the pressure.

You`ve said your team can be too emotional in big games in the past. How will you stop that this time?

First of all I think that we have the best atmosphere ever at the Emirates. If we can create that, its going to be so helpful for the team. Its how we manage that. There are moments where we succeeded very well. We had a really good example against PSV and some of the same against Spurs. It’s up to us. I hope the audience does that because that will be a big plus for us.

Has Saka been examined to determine that his injuries are minor?

Arguing. that’s it. I’m not a doctor. That’s what they told me.

Would you like to speak to Gareth about managing minutes in England during the international break?

I’ve spoken to Gareth a few times. he has to work. I tell him the news and the situation everyone is in. We have really good communication. He has to make the best decision for the national team. I won’t disturb it.

Can you and Pep still surprise each other?

I don’t know. I think every year there are new players and new tools that surprise each other. We expect something from each other, but ultimately it’s up to the players, and it’s the players who surprise you the most.

When was the last time he surprised you?

He probably didn’t. I expected him to do something completely different with Bernardo, but he didn’t.

When he played as a left-back?

Yes.

Do we have to think about the possibility of him doing something like that in a match like this?

Yes. He does it in big moments and big games. He’s done that this season against different opponents and different things. That’s a great quality of theirs because they can change it. It’s not just right before the game. They can do it during the game, they can do it at halftime, and that’s the strength of a team that can dominate.

Is there a game you’d like to see again?

No comments.

Pep played a lot of long balls against you last time. How much does getting to know each other better influence your preparation for this match?

They did it against Brighton and Liverpool, where they were also attacking. Adapt to team behavior. When you have a specific idea of ​​how to get a player on the pitch, you know what’s going to trigger. They have other qualities they know about Haaland and they have other qualities because they don’t have Ederson and other goalkeepers. we know that.

How important is it to get a competitive replacement like Trossard when Saka and Martinelli are questionable?

Really important. I think Leo was really good. He had a big impact on the team in the last game. He wasn’t available against Brentford so he was out, but other than that he was really good.