Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have a “point to prove” as they seek to solidify their title credentials against defending Premier League champions Liverpool.
The Gunners had a good Christmas and New Year, winning all three games – against Brighton, Aston Villa and Bournemouth – and watching closest challengers Manchester City fail to win their last two.
That has enabled Arsenal to pull six points clear at the top of the table but Arteta hinted at feeling his side still have some doubters to win over.
He said: “Obviously excited, it’s a massive game against the champions of the last Premier League and we have a point to prove. We are top of the table, we play at home against a really, really good opponent and we want to maintain our position, and in order to do that, we’re going to have to be excellent throughout the game to win the game and that’s the point we have to prove.”
Arsenal ‘always have a point to prove’
Arsenal went into Christmas top of the table for the third time in four seasons but are yet to win a title since 2003.
And while Arteta refused to compare this team to previous iterations he believes they are showing the consistency required to get over the line.
He added: “Every week we have a point to prove. We had it a few days ago against Bournemouth after a great win against Villa and it’s going to continue like that until May and we know that because once we are in the position that we are in we want to maintain and extend the lead that we have and in order to do that our level of determination and desire has to be with that mindset.
“We all want it that much, that’s what is driving everybody and that’s the superb quality that we have within the club, staff and players especially, because we know what it’s going to take to achieve what we want.”
Arsenal boss Arteta wary of Liverpool
Liverpool have not defended their title the way most people expected.
Arne Slot’s side have improved of late and are eight unbeaten in the league but their hopes of going back to back ended several weeks ago.
Nevertheless, Arteta remains wary of the Merseysiders.
“The margins I think for all of us are really small, we always talk about that,” he said. “They have a great manager, they have a sensational structure, understanding what they have to do in relation to the players that they select tomorrow in the line-up, they can play in different ways because at the end those will make them a little bit different and more specific to what we can expect tomorrow and we have to be conscious of that and focus on what we have to do.
“I still think that they are a superb team and what they’ve done as well and you have to understand as well the context that they have with certain injuries and the difficulty of the league for all of us, but my opinion hasn’t changed about that.”
Havertz could return
Arsenal may have Kai Havertz back on the bench tomorrow night.
The Germany forward was named among the substitutes for the home game with Aston Villa on December 30 after making his comeback from a knee injury suffered in August but was then left out for the weekend win at Bournemouth.
Arteta said: “We are obviously monitoring his load; he has been out for a long time for two different reasons, and he is very close. He trained this morning again, and hopefully, we are going to have him available in the best version of Kai Havertz.”
