We host Liverpool under the N5 lights on Thursday, looking to maintain our excellent home form in 2025/26, and Mikel Arteta believes the atmosphere generated by our supporters has played a huge part in our success so far.
We are currently unbeaten at home in all competitions, drawing just once against Manchester City and winning the remaining fixtures, which has seen us move to the top of the Premier League and Champions League standings.
The reigning Premier League champions are next up in N5, and the boss knows just how much a big north London atmosphere can play its part in helping his side claim three points.
He said: "It’s a massive game against the champions of the last Premier League and we have a point to prove. We’re going to have our crowd, our supporters, very early. Before eight o’clock, everybody will be there, creating an amazing atmosphere and looking forward to it.
"[Our supporters] have been unbelievable again this season, and it makes such a difference; we become a different team. The level of energy, commitment, confidence and desire that we can show in every action is transmitted by them, and we need them tomorrow and every game.
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"There's nothing like it, you become a different player. Your emotional state is better, your energy level is better, your confidence is better. They drive you to get action with a lot of aggression, with a lot of determination, and that lifts the whole team. So that's what we have to provide tomorrow."
One of our two defeats this season came at Anfield with a late Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick back in August.
The games have come thick and fast in recent weeks and despite going on a five-game winning run in the league, Mikel has urged his players to keep proving themselves.
He said: "We had it a few days ago against Bournemouth after a great win against Villa and it's going to continue like that until May. We know that because once we are in the position that we are in, we want to maintain and extend the lead that we have and in order to do that our level of determination and desire has to be with that mindset.
"At the end, we want to win every game and the most important one is obviously tomorrow’s. We know what we have to do to beat them and now we have to prove it on the pitch."
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