Mikel Arteta Delighted with Gunners Comfortable 2-0 Bounce Back Against Sevilla After Weekend Robbery
Four days since their contentious loss to Newcastle, with Mikel Arteta describing it as a disgrace and embarrassment, Arsenal comfortably dispatched visitors Sevilla 2-0 at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta only made one change to the starting lineup, with Leandro Trossard coming in for the ineffective Nketiah, as the Spanish manager had complete faith in his remaining squad. His decision paid off, as the Belgian put Arsenal in front before the half-hour mark with a simple tap-in, thanks to Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal golden boy also got his name on the scoresheet in the 64th minute with a composed finish as the Gunners held on for a comfortable victory.
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Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal Edges Closer to the Champions League Knockout Stages
Heading into this fixture, Arsenal have won six of their last eight home fixtures, while the Europa League connoisseurs have only two wins in their previous 17 matches in the Champions League. The disparity between the Champions League and Europa League showed as the Gunners breezed through Sevilla with 62% possession and 11 shots, as the visitors offered little resistance with only one shot throughout the match, and it was in the dying minutes of stoppage time.
The day could have gone better for Mikel Arteta and his squad if PSV failed to win against Lens in Philips Stadion, as they would have already qualified for the knockout stages. As things stay now, Mikel Arteta’s squad would need to pick up just one point from their remaining two fixtures to continue their progress in this season’s Champions League.
If Arsenal do not choke and crumble under pressure, they will continue their legacy of qualifying from the group stage of every European campaign they have competed in this century. Furthermore, with this victory, Arsenal had now won both Champions League group stage games against a fellow big-five European league side for the fourth time, previously doing so in 2006/07 (Against Hamburg), 2012/13 (Against Montpellier) and 2013/14 (Against Marseille).
Mikel Arteta Addresses Injury Concerns After Bukayo Saka Limped Off with 5 Minutes Remaining
Despite the convincing win, there were some scares for Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka limped off the field in the closing minutes after appearing to land awkwardly on his ankle. The Englishmen is no stranger to rough treatment on the pitch as the Sevilla defenders took turns to hack the England ace, surprisingly, without punishment. To put it into perspective, Saka suffered five fouls alone in the first half.
However, in the post-match conference, Mikel Arteta calmed the worries of Arsenal fans as he stated: “It was just a kick. The physios told me that he wasn’t happy to continue. He had some discomfort, but hopefully, I’m going to assume he’s going to be okay.” As for the rough treatment of his star player, Mikel Arteta replied: “There is contact in football. “For the wingers that want to take people on especially. In the end, he was uncomfortable to carry on, so hopefully it’s not big, but I’m really happy with his performance.”
When questioned about the team’s overall performance, The Spaniard responded: “For sure, I’m really happy with the performance from the team. They showed aggression and commitment. “Even when we lost the ball, we were incredibly good to get it back. It’s hard in Europe to control it how we did. That’s why we won it. When you let them get set in your own half, they are a dangerous team.”
How Far Could Arsenal Go in This Season’s Champions League?
With Arsenal’s qualification imminent, unlike a certain Manchester club, what is the realistic goal for Mikel Arteta and his squad? According to AsiaSport predictors, Arsenal are third favourites behind defending Champions Manchester City and Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich. Furthermore, Arsenal have beaten Manchester City twice already this season. Therefore, is it in the bag?
Arsenal fans, let us know your thoughts in the comments below on where are your expectations for the squad heading to the knockout stages. To catch up on the highlights of the UEFA Champions League and other competitions, check out AsiaSport for high-definition playback of your favourite moment. Want to relieve the moment of Saka’s second goal? Here’s the highlights from the website.
