Mikel Arteta believes it will actually help his Arsenal players to have no fans in the stadium as they prepare to face Leicester in a crucial Premier League clash.
Arteta’s team welcomes the Foxes on Tuesday after winning their last four games after losing two straight away after restarting football.
Arsenal’s mini resurgence has put her in seventh place in the table, and today’s win in the Emirates would greatly boost their hopes of qualifying for European football next season.
The discontent of fans in the Emirates has sometimes been noticeable in recent years when the Gunners did not meet expectations.
And while only one of Arsenal’s games has been at home since the restart – the 4-0 win over Norwich last week – Arteta could take the pressure off his players if he plays behind closed doors.
(Image: POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
“When you play in front of 80,000 people, it is much more difficult, mostly when you are on the ball or the ball comes close to you,” said the manager.
“Others need that extra motivation, pressure, and passion to do better. Every player is different. But some of the players don’t hurry what they’re doing. “
Arteta’s team is currently on their way to qualifying for the Europa League in seventh place, but their shape since their return last month has given them hope that they could return to the Champions League.
The North Londoners are six points ahead of Manchester United in fifth place. This could be enough to secure a place in the European elite club competition if the European ban on Manchester City is maintained.
(Image: PA)
And with today’s opponent Leicester in third place, a win for the Gunners would help to open the Champions League race further.
One player who appears to have benefited from Arsenal’s recent upswing is loaned midfielder Dani Ceballos.
Ceballos faces an uncertain future as there is no obvious place for him at his parent club Real Madrid.
But after an injury-related high and low season in the Emirates, the midfielder begins to play into Arteta’s mind and the manager wants him to stay.
“I am very happy with him – he will be a really important player for us,” said Arteta in quotes from the Daily Mail.
“We talk to (Real), obviously we don’t have the player, he is not in our hands, so the clubs need to have communication and see what we can do.”
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