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Mikel: The reaction has been excellent

Mikel Arteta is delighted with how his players have responded to last weekend's defeat and is excited about the journey ahead until the end of the season.

Despite failing to win for a third league match in a row, we still sit top of the Premier League and Champions League, as well as making progress in both domestic cup competitions.

Following the late defeat to Manchester United, Mikel revealed how pleased he's been with his side's reaction.

"The reaction has been excellent," he said. "We took a moment to bring the temperature down, to pause, to reflect and ask two questions. One is how do we feel, and how do I feel myself, and then how we want to live the next four months.

"It was so encouraging and beautiful, because what came out of there is very simple. We have earned the right to be in a great position in four competitions, and in the next four months we’re going to live and play with enjoyment, with a lot of courage and with the conviction that we’re going to win it.

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"This is going to be the mindset and where we’re going to put the energy. I’m just hoping that everybody who is related to this club, especially our supporters, jump on that boat because this is the way that we’re going to live the next four months because we deserve to live like this.

"Together with the players, it was just a conversation. First of all, because I told them how good they are and how grateful we are to share every single day with them and the position to realise where we are, and just make sure that we enjoy with a lot of conviction that it’s going to happen because it’s our moment and we really want it."

Attentions now turn to facing Kazakhstan champions Kairat Almaty in the UEFA Champions League, and an opportunity to win eight straight UCL matches for the first time in our history.

On assessing Wednesday's opponents, Mikel said: "Well, obviously, it's the Champions League, so every opponent is very tough because they are very used to winning. That's first of all. Obviously, the conditions that they are coming are special because of where they are in the domestic league as well.

"Looking back at the games that they played against Real Madrid or Inter, for example, I watched both of them. They make it very, very difficult for them. So tomorrow we expect a very similar game. We have to be at our best because we want to win the game again and we'll go for it."

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