LONDON: Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, admitted that his team needs to reach an almost perfect level if they want to catch up with the leaders of the English Premier League, Liverpool, who are now far ahead.
After an inconsistent start to the season, Arsenal returned to form with an emphatic 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in midweek.
Before that, they also ended a four-match winless drought in the league by defeating Nottingham Forest 3-0.
Victory over West Ham, early this Sunday morning is expected to propel Arsenal to second place in the league, at least before the important action between Liverpool and Manchester City at midnight on Sunday.
Speaking in a pre-match press conference today, Arteta said his team’s main focus was to maintain consistency.
“If Liverpool continue to be at this level, they will be difficult to catch. But, our focus is on our own performance. Consistency will open up opportunities for us to win more matches,” he said.
Arteta also praised the team spirit of his players after recording two important wins after the international break.
“The win gave new energy and confidence to the team. Now, it’s a matter of maintaining the momentum, especially with a tight schedule every three days,” he said.