Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal players to help make the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium more hostile.
The atmosphere has improved at Arsenal’s ground under Arteta in recent years, but the Spaniard believes it can get even better.
Arteta wants the Emirates to be more hostile and he believes his players can help by playing with more aggression.
Arsenal host Premier League leaders Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday and, asked if the Emirates can ever have the same atmosphere as Anfield, Arteta said: “It will be our own one.
“We are really happy with the atmosphere that we have created at the Emirates. It has been really supportive.
“Can we tweak it and make it even more hostile? I think we can. 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.”
Asked how to make it more hostile, Arteta added: “I think the team has to give more.
“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.”
Arsenal were top of the League on Christmas Day but they have slipped to fourth and are five points off leaders Liverpool.
Arteta, however, is not panicking and is keeping a perspective on things given a win over Fulham on New Year’s Eve would have sent Arsenal top.
“You can be very tempted to look with the microscope or with the telescope and have a bit more perspective,” he said.
“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.”
Arsenal are due to have their mid-season break after Sunday’s game and they are not scheduled to play again until January 20, when they host Crystal Palace.
The Gunners are planning to go to Dubai for some warm-weather training in that time, but those plans could be disrupted if their match with Liverpool is a draw and they have a replay.
“That break would be minimal [if we have a replay] and we have planned with both the scenarios obviously, because it is a possibility always in football,” said Arteta.
“We want to win the game, we will try to win the game, but that (a replay) has to be considered because it is there.”
Arteta believes that FA Cup replays may have to be scrapped in the future, particularly as Champions League teams will have two extra games in the group stage next season due to the new Swiss Model.
“I think so, but we will see what happens because with the new format of the Champions League as well there will be more games,” said Arteta. “So I don’t know where we are going to fit them.”
