Mikel Arteta views the Carabao Cup as a potential catalyst for greater success at Arsenal, as his side prepares to face Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 18: Arsenal player Paul Merson with the League Cup and man of the match trophy after the 1993 Coca-Cola Cup Final between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley on April 18, 1993 in London, England. (Photo by Allsport/Getty Images)
Photo by Allsport/Getty Images
Reflecting on his five years as manager, Arteta highlighted the significance of lifting a trophy to instil belief and momentum, particularly given Arsenal’s near misses in recent Premier League campaigns.
The club last won the League Cup in 1993, and Arteta is determined to end the drought this season, seeing it as a stepping stone to future triumphs. “I fully believe in that: the fact that you are winning and you get into the next round and it creates something different around the team, and that is why these kind of games are so important,” Arteta said.
“It is really helpful. It brings belief, trust, positive energy, touching the cup, and being in the semi-final and beating somebody in the final; it is that energy and it creates the right path to go and do something else, particularly because of the timing and when the competition is played in this country, it gets that momentum going.”
Despite a defensive crisis, with Myles Lewis-Skelly likely to deputise at left-back in the absence of Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko, Arteta is expected to field a strong team.
Gabriel Jesus could start despite scoring only once this season, with Arteta expressing confidence that the forward will regain form. “I don’t know if it’s confidence but obviously he’s got that will that the ball goes in the back of the net and he will start to have some momentum,” Arteta said. “When he plays in that position he needs to deliver in those moments and he’s really trying.”
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