Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal team to fix their patchy European away form against a vibrant Sporting on Tuesday night, admitting they need to improve a record of just one win in their past eight continental trips.
The visit to Sporting, who have made a flying start to the new-look Champions League and sit second in the table, may have a significant bearing on Arsenal’s hopes of avoiding a playoff for the last 16 in February. They have drawn blanks in all of their past four Champions League away games and, even if they arguably deserved more at Inter last time out, Arteta knows it is a record that cannot hold.
