Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his admiration for the competitive nature of the Premier League, celebrating his team's position at the top of the table for two consecutive Christmases. Arteta backed forward Gabriel Martinelli, stating that confidence is not an issue for him despite his lower goal tally in the Premier League compared to the Champions League. Ahead of an emotional reunion with West Ham, Arteta issued a warning about midfielder Declan Rice, suggesting there is more to come from him and emphasizing the need to work on his goalscoring to unlock his full potential. Arteta also made an impassioned plea for a better atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium. Rice, who is respected by his teammates and still maintains good relations with West Ham players and staff, has been praised by Arteta for managing the expectations that come with his price tag. West Ham manager David Moyes has recognized the difficulty of playing at the Emirates, while Dean Saunders has lauded Arteta for his calming influence on the team, which he believes could lead them to win the league.
“They’re ready to win the league!” 🏆🔥 “Arteta is obviously coming across as calmer to the players. I don’t see any panic in them!” 🔴 Dean Saunders reveals why he thinks this is the season #AFC will win the title with Arteta. https://t.co/4xZOW9tvQ1
🔴⚪️ Arteta: “Every time you switch the TV on, they will be talking about Arsenal and talking about Declan Rice”. “He’s very intelligent to manage that. When they put the price tag you have to carry that and it is not easy. He has done it in a brilliant way”. https://t.co/l69a3GbGtZ
Big Declan Rice read • Arteta being ‘mad’ for him • Conscious focus on just football • Tactical meetings to learn Arsenal’s style • Respects Ødegaard as captain • Still gets on with WH players & staff W/@gunnerblog, @JordanC1107 & @David_Ornstein https://t.co/UsFvnsEJw3
Mikel Arteta wants to work on Declan Rice’s goalscoring to help fully realise the potential of the midfielder Read the full story here ⬇️ https://t.co/UDuDsVpBlP
Mikel Arteta warns there is even more to come from Declan Rice while the Arsenal boss also makes impassioned plea over the Emirates atmosphere https://t.co/hnem5gVUUu
👀 Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta issues Declan Rice warning ahead of emotional West Ham reunion ✍️ @johncrossmirror https://t.co/f5NtOqUXG0 https://t.co/400DXqsbqb
Mikel Arteta also backed Gabriel Martinelli, saying “I think confidence is not a problem for Gabi” when asked about his lack of goals in the Premier League compared to the Champions League https://t.co/PLirOeLuGa
"It's the beauty of this league!" Mikel Arteta on being top of the table for two Chirstmas' back-to-back https://t.co/B5NiZPD6xB
"It's the beauty of this league!" Mikel Arteta on being top of the table for two Christmas' back-to-back https://t.co/Q4H38edBlI
🗣️ "Going to the Emirates is never an easy game" David Moyes says he has no doubt tomorrow's game with Arsenal will provide a huge challenge for West Ham ⚒️ https://t.co/3sS6oLmJWj