Mikel Arteta has demanded Arsenal fans ramp up the hostility for visitors to the Emirates over the second half of this season, starting with an FA Cup third round tie against Liverpool on Sunday that takes on added significance because of faltering league form.
The atmosphere at Arsenal’s home was hailed as a contributing factor to their performances in 2022-23, which was characterised by a series of intense and relentless displays. It has sagged in recent months, though, and was noticeably flat in last week’s 2-0 reverse to West Ham. Arsenal need a lift after three top-flight defeats in five and Arteta wants opponents to feel ground down by the stadium’s energy.
“Can we tweak it and make it even more hostile? I think we can,” he said when asked whether Arsenal could create their own version of the environment Liverpool foster at Anfield. “That’s the next step in my opinion. We have to be so grateful for what we’re achieving in our home ground. Sunday is going to be another big one.”
Jürgen Klopp made a point of geeing up Liverpool’s support before the Premier League meeting between the sides last month, which finished 1-1, but Arteta said his players must take their share of responsibility for creating a lion’s den in north London.
“I think the team has to give more,” he said. “It has to transmit that bite, that aggression, that intimidation and that dominance to the opponent. Certain games this season, and Champions League games, are going to create that next step. That’s my feeling.”
Arteta is likely to field a strong side against one of Arsenal’s title rivals, who lead the league and will make the trip south again for a potentially more consequential game on 4 February. If a replay can be avoided Arsenal will spend an extended spell training in Dubai over the mini winter break. A clash of giants might not have been the ideal prelude but it can also be viewed as a useful chance to regain momentum.
“We don’t have a choice,” Arteta said. “If you ask both teams probably in the draw we were expecting something different, but we have this incredible clash in the third round and we have to go for it.”
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s availability remains in doubt as he battles the calf injury that sidelined him from the flat 2-1 loss at Fulham. Arteta accepted his team were firmly below par in that game but believes it should not distract from the bigger picture.
“It affects momentum because we were top at Christmas and now we are fourth,” he said. “You can be very tempted to look with the microscope, or with the telescope and have a bit more perspective. My job, big time, is to look with the telescope and have perspective and analyse things in the broader way and not get affected by one performance. Not result, one performance.”
