Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has questioned why his side were given kick-off time on Saturday afternoon after Wednesday’s clash with Manchester City.
There will only be 63 hours between games when Arsenal take on Aston Villa away, which is banned if the midweek tie is in the Champions League, but there are no restrictions on domestic fixtures .
Arsenal need a win with one game less to reclaim top spot, but they will play against a Villa side who will be given three extra days off.
Speaking to the media, Arteta said it didn’t make sense to have one rule for the Champions League but disregard the same logic for other time-limit overloads.
“There are certain rules in the Champions League,” he said. “If you play Wednesday night and then [Saturday lunch] you can’t play, that should apply to any competition.
“If you think about speaking physiologically, it’s very difficult to backtrack during this period to get the best result and reduce the risk of injury for the players.
“They set the schedule the way they did. It’s a bit unusual, but it’s not about being worried or not worried. we have to play I want the players to be in the best possible state of mind and physically ready for this challenge.”
While acknowledging it’s not an ideal situation, Arteta said it’s no excuse for a poor performance.
“We knew we were going to play then,” he said. “The players are young, they have a lot of energy.”
One such youngster Arsenal are counting on is 23-year-old Eddie Nketiah, who went four games without a goal after a run of six goals in six games.
“The hardest part is scoring goals, but Eddie produced a penalty that could have been a goal,” he said. “He could have scored a hat-trick and then we’ll talk about something else. “Unfortunately he hasn’t, and so we have these debates. But we have full faith in these guys.”
Also read…
Arsenal are reportedly prioritizing the transfer of West Ham United star Declan Rice this summer.
Arsenal are reportedly prioritizing the transfer of West Ham United star Declan Rice
Several reports and sources have claimed that the Gunners are looking to bring the England midfielder to the Emirates.
Now CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has provided an in-depth update on the state of affairs regarding Arsenal and Rice.
Jacobs, writing in CaughtOffside, says the Hammers are “reassuring” to lose the captaincy in the summer.
He also felt that Arsenal are basically the “favourites” for Rice to sign at the moment. “Chelsea also really want rice”
However, Jacobs has warned the Gunners that Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United are also on the hunt.
He thinks the Blues could be a particularly tough opponent again, as was the case with Mykhaylo Mudryk.
“Arsenal’s priority in midfield will be Declan Rice and West Ham are resigned to losing him,” Jacobs wrote on CaughtOffside.
“David Moyes, predictably, was quick to say that if Rice left him, it would have to be for a record UK transfer fee.
“But the applicants are hoping for a fee of £70-80m. This is ultimately because Rice’s contract expires in the summer of 2024.
