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Here is every word from Mikel Arteta’s post-match press conference in which the Spaniard addressed the media after his Arsenal side beat Sunderland 3-0
Mikel Arteta faced the media following his Arsenal side’s strong 3-0 win over Sunderland. Three goals, one from Martin Zubimendi and two from Viktor Gyokeres, sealed a result which moves them nine points clear at the top of the table.
It was important to put the pressure on rivals Manchester City, who must now respond at Anfield, where they face Liverpool on Sunday. With Gyokeres scoring twice, however, it could be a sign of things to come and a run of form that has been a long time coming.
Yet it was a strike from outside the box, as was put to Arteta during the pre-match press conference, which gave them the lead. Arsenal need to find new ways of winning when the opposition looks so solid, and they did just that.
Here is every word from Mikel Arteta’s post-match press conference:
Congratulations on the win, thoughts on the performance?
I'm very, very happy with the win, with big parts of the performance, with the clean sheet as well, because it's a really tough opponent. They're really good at what they do, really good at breaking play, playing to the last man, breaking your press, holding the ball and very difficult to get sequences with threat and momentum consecutively. But we knew that, I think the first goal really helped to unlock that kind of phase.
And then again, the finishers, they came on the pitch and immediately they had a huge impact.
Viktor gets two goals, that's eight goal contributions in his last eight games now. These are the types of numbers that people were expecting at the start. It's taken a while to get there, but you feel that this could be like a platform now to see this more regularly?
Yes, and I think the way he came in, but he was ready straight away. And when he got the line-up and he wasn't in, everyone reacts in such a way, because we know, we have experienced it every three days, how important the finishers are, the impact that they are having on the team, the results and where we are at the moment. So, I'm very happy.
Just on the first goal, another one from outside the box. Was that, I guess, a conscious thing going on?
That's after our conversation. I told them… [Laughs]
Because, I mean, Rice and I think Havertz as well could have scored from outside the box. Was that something you were expecting?
Again, it's a situation that you get with time and space. If the space is not in one place, it would be somewhere else. But as well, there were three really good shots.
So, it's a special one. As well, he's contributing now to the team in a way that probably we didn't expect that much. But he really has an intuition and quality to deliver those moments in and around the box.
Just going back to Viktor. It hasn't always been the easiest season for him, has it?
What does it say about his resilience and maybe his mental strength that he can come back and score twice? Obviously, he's got four goals in four matches now.
Well, the type of character that we expected. And obviously, when you put that shirt on, it comes with a lot of responsibility and huge expectations. And you need to live with that.
And in your journey here, you're going to have moments where it goes really well and others where you're going to be tough. Because when you have an opponent that plays a part and he makes it really difficult for you. But I love his character, the way he approaches every single day and the fact that he's so focused on the present, what he has to do and he has a genuine will to help the team in whatever role he has.
Has anything changed with Viktor, about what he's doing or what the team's doing? Has he been able to allow this sort of run of doubles? What's different now compared to a month ago?
Well, obviously, he came on in moments as well when the game probably was a little bit more open. Today he had more company as well, in and around him. It depends on the opponent, it depends on the context.
But for me, what really makes a difference is the consistency that he shows every single day, to practise, to train, to understand better his team-mates, his relationships, to speak up and demand the kind of movement, the kind of balls and deliveries that he wants as well. And then he needs to do what he's done today as well, and really put it to work.
You said that Viktor's focused on the present and just training and getting better. Is that a sign of a top-level striker? Does he get too high when he's in good form? Does he get too low when things aren't going his way?
Yeah, with Viktor, when you look at him, it's very difficult to understand his emotions. Because he looks straight at you and you don't really know. But he doesn't seem too affected by the real highs or the lows.
And that's what we need, is stability. He's very demanding of himself. He's constantly trying to improve, and that's really, really good.
Particularly after his first goal, he seems to be running around with this real confidence, wanting to get on the ball. And it seems to be a different confidence to the previous weeks.
Why is that? Have you kind of done anything with him one-on-one to try and nurture that confidence?
That's the magic word, I think. When you feel confident, when you feel important, when you feel at your best, that's when you can really take your game to the highest level. And, yeah, we all try, the first one, the teammates, but all the staff, obviously, are really behind him in every moment to try to help him, to try to support him. And he is delivering, and he's in a really good moment now.
And with Kai Havertz, he seems to be playing a bit of a deep position in the field. What is the thinking behind that.
Well with Kai, with the kind of game that we expected as well, and the way they play, and the type of threat that we wanted to create as well with him and Gabi in and around the three central defenders. So, yeah, something as well that we have to use, because we have very different qualities from Kai to Martin or to Ebz, or to other attacking midfielders.
Still a long way to go this season, you're nine points clear now. Will you be watching Liverpool vs Man City tomorrow?
Yes, I'm going to have a beautiful dinner tonight. Tomorrow I start to prepare for Brentford, because it's going to be a really tough one. And in the meantime, for sure, I will be watching a big, big game.
What does it mean to have that gap at this stage of the season?
Nothing, we still have to win so many games to achieve what we want, so let's not focus on that, that's something else, we've done our job now, we've had what we have to do, assess that, try to improve it and get ready for Brentford
How much do you think you are far from the level you need to be in the Premier League?
How far we are?
Yeah.
In terms of points or...?
No, not in points, I mean, your team is clearly getting better and better and better. How much do you think you need to get better to actually do?
I don't know, depending on how better the other ones get. So if the other ones get better, we need to get better. There is an opponent on the level in the Premier League, honestly, Sunderland, they are topside and make it so hard for you. And that's the level, if they raise it, you have to raise it again and try to find those margins to win, but the differences are not that big.
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