Every word from Mikel Arteta’s pre-match Arsenal press conference before Premier League clash with Bournemouth.
10:22, 02 Jan 2026
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference ahead of clash with Bournemouth
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference ahead of clash with Bournemouth(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta faced the media before his Arsenal side take on Bournemouth in the Premier League. Injury concerns were high on the agenda as both Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori missed recent matches.
The Gunners have now taken a four-point lead at the top of the tree after Granit Xhaka’s Sunderland secured an unlikely draw against Manchester City. There was also a reaction to the sacking of Enzo Maresca by Chelsea.
Bournemouth was the focus for the head coach, however, who didn’t want to be drawn on opening the gap to his opponents.
Here is every word Mikel Arteta said in today’s press conference:
Any fresh injury concerns after Tuesday?
No, obviously we haven't trained yet, so today's going to be the first training session. Probably with the players that obviously started against Villa, so we'll know more this afternoon.
You spoke about Declan Rice a couple of times this week, and the swelling on his knee. Has it reduced, and has he got a chance for Saturday?
Well, not yet, and we have another session today. Let's see how he comes today and how that's feeling, but it was too early that game for him.
A couple of others in Calafiori and Mosquera, what chance they could feature?
They are both out.
Gabriel Jesus looking sharp, back scoring, Kai Havertz back in the squad for the first time since the opening day. How pleasing is it to finally have that selection headache, and how much do you think it could help someone like Victor Llores having those players back?
It helps the team, it helps every individual. I think that's what we want, to have the option with the amount of games that we have on the schedule. So far we haven't had that option, so looking forward to have everybody on it, everybody performing, being able to change profiles, to change during the game as well, and to pick the best players in the best condition every time.
It's Bournemouth next. The corresponding fixture last season felt like a little bit of a turning point, because it was a first defeat of the season for you, but it was also a third red card of the season for you as well. Six in all last season, but none so far this season. Are you pleased with the discipline, and how it's gone so far on that front this season?
Yeah, obviously, we know how important it is to maintain your 11 players on the pitch as much as possible, and we fell through that last year. We lost both games against them, and we know the difficulty of that. We know how good of a team they are, how they can threaten you from every angle, so we know the difficulty of the game tomorrow.
The transfer window is open, of course. You've said that you're Arsenal and you always keep your eyes open and are alert to any potential opportunities. If there was to be any arrivals in this window, would it be with a view to a long-term view with regard to the player that potentially could come in, or are you leaving yourself open to maybe a loan as well?
We are open to every option. Obviously, if we can find a solution that is short, medium or long. It's always much better because it gives you stability and you don't have to constantly start a process with a new player.
But let's see what happens, let's see what the news is in the next few weeks, and we'll try to make the right decision.
On potential outs, I know you've been asked this question before. Ethan Nwaneri hasn't actually played since the Brugge game, he wasn't in the squad at all against Aston Villa. What's your thinking with him?
Would you maybe consider a departure for him on loan perhaps, just so he can get first-team football?
That every player is very important, every player has a role, that role can change throughout the season for different reasons, and everybody has to be ready to play.
You will know that there's been a managerial departure in Enzo Maresca. What was your reaction to it, did it surprise you?
Well, I wish him all the best. I really like Enzo as a person, as a profession. I think he's done a terrific job at Chelsea, and that's a decision that has been made, and I just wish him all the best.
Top of the table, four-point clear second place in Manchester City after a convincing win against Aston Villa. What is the mood like amongst the team at the moment?
Well, it was very good obviously after the game. I guess a really tough opposition again to perform and to win in the manner that we did. Great focus on Bournemouth. We know how tough it's going to be tomorrow's game, and everybody's at it.
Can you speak about the difficulties of facing Bournemouth? They were actually the only team to do the double over Aston last season. What lessons did you take from both encounters?
Well, I know they were two very different games. Obviously, a game in the minute 30 when Saliba got surprisingly sent off. Obviously it was a different game when we managed as well, and we had some chances but we managed losing the game against a home display at the beginning that was very dominant, and that ended up in a really poor result for us. A lot to learn. Huge respect for them. I know Andoni [Iraola] really well at what he's doing.
I think it's incredible. And I'm watching all the games that they've played this season, and I guess the top side, how difficult they've made it, and how they're having goal results against them as well.
There was a mention of course of the return of Gabriel Jesus coming back and how he’s in the squad. Someone who's obviously done well up front for you is Leandro Trossard, the most goal involvements. How pleased have you been with his performance this season so far?
Well, I think he's been very consistent and very stable, but all of the front players, I would say, because they all contributed through the season so far in a great way, whether it's starting or whether as an impact players as well. So that's what we need. They will bring different qualities to the team, but I think they're in a great moment.
Do you sense a real hunger then from those attacking players to want to start?
Yeah, to want to start, but as well fulfilling their role when they have to come in in an extraordinary way. That's something that we have improved a lot. So every time we bring in players on the pitch, they're really deciding games, and that's what we need.
Four points here at the top. Would you have signed up for that right at the beginning of the season to go into the second half of the year with a lead of four points?
And is it already beginning to, in your mind, look like that game that we actually had could be the title decider?
Well, it's where we are and we are really happy in the position that we are. We can always be better. There are things to improve, obviously, and the other thing we look at is Bournemouth, the first game of the year. We know how tough it is for every opponent to beat them.
You've only lost two games this season. That kind of consistency, though, is what wins you titles, right?
Yes, but we are still in early January, so we have another five months to go and so far we have to do much more.
The club's discipline, the players' discipline, has been mentioned already. No dismissals yet this season. How much of that is down to you?
How much did you take aside at the beginning of the season and say, listen, we have to keep 11 players on the pitch? And your behaviour on the touchline, you're still passionate and jumping up and down, but it also has improved.
Well, I think we can talk about it by the end of the season, it's players' decisions, and sometimes not even their decision. We've had periods since I've been here where we've had quite a lot of red cards, then none, so that has fluctuated. We know how important it is to have that stability in that discipline as well.
Having the possibility to play constantly with 11 players, we try to allow as much as possible.
And finally, Declan Rice, you've spoken before, I asked you whether you think you might be a Ballon d'Or player in the future. Sometimes it's seen as being negative for a player to be good in lots of positions. Not a master of one position, but just good in quite a lot.
He seems to be a master of every position he plays in, and therefore for him it's a positive rather than a negative.
Well, I think it's a very positive thing for him, for the team, for the club, and in general in football, a player that has that mindset, that capacity to adapt, and that has attributes that can fulfil different roles, he makes it much better as a team.
I just want to ask you about the expected goals, because it seemed for many weeks that you were underperforming what the expected goals were showing and how many goals you should have scored.
How much do you place on that algorithm, that statistic, in informing what is encouraging about your team in those weeks?
It's another one, but as I said before, it's the stat that fluctuates so much. All the teams, they were overperforming it for a big time. Is it sustainable?
No, it's not, but it will change the dynamic, and then you see throughout the game how that changes as well. So for 60 minutes, 70, 80 minutes, what you've done in the last 10. So it's just that you can use it in the manner that you want.
For us, there are many other things that are more important than that.
And can I just ask you on Declan as well, because you mentioned that he took a bit of a bad kick in the game against Brighton. He completed that game, and I think he was seen struggling a little bit with his knee throughout the game. Now knowing more about the injury, is it a case where in hindsight he should have come off in the game, or the fact he completed the game, is a little bit regretful? How do you assess that injury?
No, no, no. He managed to do it. That's normal sometimes. You get a hit, and throughout the game you are able with adrenaline, and because you are warm, you are able to sustain that. And then the body reacts, and it reacted probably more than we expected, unfortunately. And that's where we are.
In terms of the injuries, the last 18 months has obviously been really hard luck for Arsenal. I was just wondering, when you find out about a new one, what goes through your head, and has that changed?
With a new one?
So when you find out about new injuries to players, what goes through your head? What's your reaction, and has that changed over time?
Well, first thing, what we can do better, and the second thing, that is the reality of the sport that we played in. But looking back in the last three seasons, we have less days of injuries than before. So, yeah, it's how you look at it.
We had injuries that you have to separate, the traumatic ones, and the ones that are minor injuries. And we have to improve, but we are better than some other years.
And in terms of players coming back, I know a lot of people may talk about rotation, and maybe one player coming in for another, but does it also give you, I guess, the ability to be much more flexible, and how you can maybe put some players together that you couldn't do before?
At the end, I think we have to talk about performance, not rotation. We want performance, the highest performance every three days or throughout the game, and that's what we have to look at. And in order to achieve that, what are the best players, in the best condition, with the best relationship, to fulfil that.
Can I ask another one about Trossard? Do you think he's gone up a level this season? Is this sort of the best you've seen him in?
I think he's gone up. Every seasonal level. He's such an intelligent player.
He's a player that really wants it. I think he's found his role, he's found his maturity here. And then I think his confidence level is higher. He's a player that can create magic moments, and yeah, very important player for us.
He did a bit of an unusual deal in the summer for pay rise, but not the contract extension. I think he's into the final 18 months of his deal now. Would you be keen for him to extend beyond that?
We are very happy with him. He knows that we've talked about it many times, and I think he's very happy here as well.
The term ‘finishers’, you used it a lot last season, last year even. And I was just wondering, especially when you saw with Gabriel Jesus against Aston Villa, you say Ethan still has a role to play, every player has a role to play. How important, when approaching a game plan, are those ‘finishers’ towards the end of the game?
Well, very important. And the thing is that you don't know if you're going to be a finisher, a starter, or sometimes you have to come in because a player gets injured in the warm-up. So that's how ready you have to be.
And again, as I said, it's a joy because the players are really committed, really willing to participate in whatever role they have on the day. And that's what we need.
There's a bit of a strange statistic. When Arsenal have been at the top of the table on New Year's Day for the past five times, they haven't won a league. I just wanted to know if you were aware of that statistic?
No. Let's break it.
That's obviously the goal, isn't it? To change that statistic.
For sure. Give me some good ones next time.
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I guess just for the players, how do they feel? How desperate are they to not just prove that statistic wrong, but to go on and win this league? Are you really sensing that?
Well, I think that's what they transmit every single day when they're with us, training on every match. You can see their desire. You can see the energy that they put in, how much they want it. And that's what we need. That's still five months to go. And take it day by day. Enjoy that process of being where we are and go for it.
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