Mikel Arteta's Arsenal need to bounce back with a win in the north London derby
Arsenal find themselves at a pivotal juncture in their season, one which will ultimately determine whether it is deemed a success or a bitter disappointment.
Mikel Arteta's men are coming off the back of two disappointing draws in the Premier League that have thrown the title race wide open. Despite taking the lead, they were held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford before blowing a two-goal lead against Wolves earlier this week and settling for a 2-2 draw against the bottom-of-the-table side.
The Gunners now hold a narrow lead in the Premier League title race, with Manchester City breathing down their necks. However, Arsenal have the perfect chance to respond with a huge victory over rivals Tottenham in Sunday afternoon's north London derby, which could provide the momentum they desperately need.
football.london now examines two of the most recent developments involving the Gunners.
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Saka's dressing room comments
Declan Rice has revealed how Bukayo Saka educated him on the significance of the north London derby upon his arrival at Arsenal nearly three years ago. With their title pursuit hanging in the balance, the Gunners will undoubtedly feel extra pressure when they travel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Yet, the players understand the importance of a derby victory, even without the context of a title race. This stems largely from dressing room figures like vice-captain Saka, who came through the club’s youth system with an ingrained rivalry towards their N17 neighbours and have ensured newer players understand that losing to Spurs is simply not an option.
Rice, who experienced similarly intense derbies against Tottenham during his West Ham days, revealed to The Sun: "I remember Saka saying: ‘You can’t lose derbies here to Spurs’. For the fanbase, everyone, the players, the staff, that’s the game you can’t lose."
He went on to say: "The north London derby is always special. I've been able to play in a few of them now and understand the rivalry, understand who you're playing against and what it means.
"Sunday isn't just going to be about football, it's going to be about how much you want it as well. You're going away to Spurs, they have a new manager, they've had loads of injuries but it's going to be a game both of us are going to want to win. But that day, it's all in your mind, ‘How much do you really want it?’ You've got to fight for it and trust me, I want it."
Eze's 'not easy' confession
Eberechi Eze has spoken about the physical and mental pressures of representing a club of Arsenal's stature. The England international completed a dream transfer to his boyhood club last summer from Crystal Palace.
Eze has found it challenging to recapture the impressive displays that led to his return to north London this season, although he'll take confidence from netting a hat-trick against Tottenham in the derby earlier in the season.
Speaking to the official Arsenal website, the midfielder opened up on his mentality, explaining: "Nervous? I'd say I get nervous, yes. But nervous in the sense that I probably see nerves in a different way. I see nerves as my body preparing me for the moment that's coming.
"That's a natural thing that happens because you want to do well, you want to perform, you want to help the team, you want to win. I think that's just part of elite sports and I love that feeling. I love going onto the pitch and thinking ‘OK, this is the moment.’ This is what football is about. That's what makes it special."
He went on to speak about the physical demand of playing intense fixtures every few days, adding: "Yes, 100 per cent. It's not easy at all. You talk about the physical side, but the mental side is probably the more difficult part. Staying on it, staying prepared, staying locked in for a full season, when every game matters. It's not easy, but if you want to win, if you want to achieve stuff, this is the sacrifice and this is the cost. It’s what we've all bought into."