ARTETA INSISTS EUROPA LEAGUE IS NOT A DISTRACTION

Mikel Arteta insists the Europa League should not be treated as a distraction and is looking forward to a big atmosphere when Emirates Stadium hosts its first European knockout game in front of a capacity crowd since the 2-1 defeat to Olympiakos in February 2020.

While 2,000 supporters were invited to watch a group stage win over Rapid Vienna the following season, by the time the competition reached the business end of proceedings, the UK was again under lockdown and a limp semi-final defeat was played against the backdrop of empty terraces.

A subsequent failure to qualify for Europe meant last season was the first in 26 years without continental action in N5. As a result, Arteta is determined to make the most of tonight’s occasion.

“We haven’t had big European nights for three years due to COVID especially,” he told his pre-game press conference.

“It is probably the first one that we’ve had for a while and hopefully, we’ll build a really good atmosphere and enjoy it. Our supporters will be there against a really good team that is going to put a big challenge in front of us.”

If Arsenal do qualify for the quarter-finals, the two legs of the tie will slot in between away trips to Liverpool and West Ham and a home game with Southampton. In total, we’d be facing six games in 18 days in April, including a match away at title rivals Manchester City.

That schedule has some fans worried about whether Arsenal have the necessary squad depth to challenge for honours on two fronts. As always, Arteta plans to take the challenges as they come.

He added: “We’re looking to win. That was the same when we were in Lisbon, but we’re gonna have to do better than we did in Lisbon to win against Sporting tomorrow.”

Arteta wasn’t best pleased with some of the lackadaisical defending during the 2-2 draw at the Estadio Jose Alvalade but got a very promising response when a stronger side swatted away Fulham 3-0 on Sunday.

“It was a big difference,” he agreed. “The desire to win the ball back, the aggression that we showed, and how we defended the boxes. That’s something we’re gonna have to show tomorrow against a top-quality side. They punish you the moment you give them some space and so, tomorrow that cannot be the case.”

With 11 games to go in the Premier League and potentially six matches in the Europa League, the boss knows he’s going to need top-level performances from everyone he calls upon. For much of the season, he’s relied on a stable core of players to start games but as fatigue starts to kick in, opportunities will arise for others to make their mark. Even those who’ve spent long stretches on the bench.

Trying to ensure that everybody around the first team feels they have a role to play, he’s even rebranded the notion of being a substitute. Borrowing from rugby coach Eddie Jones, who used to call his replacements “finishers”, Arteta says he and his staff now refer to those on the bench as “impacters”.

“It’s something that we wanted to change and I discussed it with a few people and we wanted to find something that is particular for us,” he said.

“I think it was the best way to express how we feel about them and how they have to feel towards the team, especially on match day.

“I think it’s very difficult [to measure the difference it makes]. I think it is replacing somebody and making the team better, or doing things differently that are related to winning football matches and at the end your mentality should be only that, to impact the game to win it. That’s it, nothing else.

“I cannot measure that [difference]. I have to get into their brains, so far we don’t have anything like it.

“I think the way we describe it is more like we want it. If you repeat it more and more and more and you discuss it more and more and more, it will be closer to that and just being a sub.”