Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are “still far” from where he wants to be despite enjoying the best spell of his two year reign at the club.
Gunners boss Arteta faces Liverpool on the back of five straight Premier League wins and the chance to get into the top four this season. But Arteta warned they are a long way from being the finished article even though he is proud of the way the players have adapted to a culture change at the Emirates.
When asked how far away from reaching his targets when he took over in December 2019, Arteta offered a realistic assessment. He said: "Still far. I think we are much closer than we were, and probably the closest that we have been in terms of what we are looking for. But I focus on that gap. And that gap is still big. We have to make things quicker, sharper.
"We can be more adaptable, we can be much more unpredictable, we can have much more flexibility and we can be much more consistent throughout games to maintain that level. We have unity now. Everybody is aligned with the same purpose. With the same determination and with the same level of passion to achieve what we want to do.
“One of the main factors has been the Emirates and our supporters. How much they are giving to the team, it’s difficult to put a number on it but I’m telling you it’s been one of the biggest parts.”
Arteta admits he is looking for a statement victory against one of the traditional Big Six and beating Liverpool would really make them believe they can finish in the top four and secure a place in next season's Champions League.
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Arteta said: "Beating Liverpool with the way they are playing today is extremely difficult and we are aware of that. But we get to the game with the belief and understanding of doing what we can do, the game is there for the taking. Credit to Jurgen, the coaching staff and to the club as well for what they have created. They haven't just created a team that can compete and be successful, They have created a huge cultural understanding of who Liverpool is today.
"The stadium and the atmosphere they can create, the support, the level, how they communicate. It's a long of things, not just individuals, or the players that they have recruited and the plan that they had to reach that level. It's a whole plan that I really value I think."
"I think we played against some top teams and we played against City not long ago and you know the problems that they put in. Every week is a test in the Premier League and a very different one. The challenges that you face in those games are completely different, but tomorrow certainly is a team that dominates every aspect of the game, so when that happens you have to be at your best."
