Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal squad to aim for second place in the Premier League this season, stating: "If you cannot be the best, be the second best at least." Despite falling 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool after a three-game winless streak, Arteta remains optimistic. Chelsea, who are just three points behind Arsenal, pose a threat as they prepare to face off at the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta, whose team has finished second in the past two seasons, warned: "They [Chelsea] are contenders to finish second. I think from the moment I was playing pre-season and understanding how Enzo [Maresca] works and the talent that they have in the squad, in my opinion, they were contenders to even win it from the beginning because they have so much there.
"I think they can compete with any team. How many teams are now competing for second? A lot. There are still games to go. There's still a lot of variation, a lot of games between us, a lot of difficult games. There's a lot of teams still involved."
When questioned about the importance of finishing second if Champions League football is already secured, the Spaniard responded: "It does. "I prefer to finish first than second, second than third, third than fourth. And if you cannot be the best, be the second best at least. That's for sure.
"We're going to really have to think hard to understand 'okay what is missing, what is really working and how we're going to now make the next step'."
Reflecting on Arsenal's 5-0 thrashing of Chelsea in this fixture last season, Arteta said: "I think it's going to be a very different game and I think the way they develop as a team as well is very impressive.
"What Enzo has done and the coaching staff, the amount of talent that they have in the squad. So yeah, a really tough match but we are our best as well, a big chance for us to win the game."
This article first appeared on The Mirror.