ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that Brighton will be tough to play against in their Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
Brighton, who barely escaped relegation last season, are currently sixth in the table with 13 points, one point behind leaders Liverpool and four more that Arsenal, who have won their last three matches.
“It will be a really difficult game. They’ve been on a really good run,” Arteta said during his pre-match press conference.
“They are playing well and getting the results that they deserve. It’s a really competitive match that we are looking ahead to and we know the importance of it.
“They deserve their good start to the season. Graham Potter changed a little bit their way of playing and they’ve been getting good results and they’ve been very consistent in the way that they play. Credit to them and they’re doing a good job.”
Arsenal beat Brighton home and away last season, but Arteta believes the side have improved and cannot be taken for granted.
“That’s a different season with different momentum and we should not focus on that,” the Spaniard noted.
“We should just focus on how we’re going to get prepared to have the best possible performance and after that try to win the game.”
Arsenal will be without midfielder Granit Xhaka who was taken off injured during last week’s 3-1 North London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur, but Arteta expects the Swiss star to be back stronger.
The Arsenal boss said: “Obviously, it’s really bad news personally for Granit. He’s had a couple of incidents already this season with Covid, with suspension and now with long-term injury.
“He’s a strong man and he will use this time to focus on other things and I’m sure he will be back in the right place when he’s back. Obviously, he’s a big player for us, someone who is really important, and he will be missed. Other players have to step in.
“First of all, it’s obviously a significant injury but he probably escaped an even worse injury than he could have had from the action because that action for the cruciate ligament is a tricky one. It’s what it is. His mentality is top. He knows what he needs to do now. Hopefully, he can escape surgery as well. That is something that is really, really important and after that start preparing himself in the best possible way because time flies.”
The 39-year-old former Arsenal midfielder has been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month for September and he says the honour will only make him work harder.”It is the beauty of this sport, we all know that,” he offered.
“We all depend on results and perspective changes quickly in both ways, so you always have to be on your toes.”
