Arsenal press conference LIVE - Mikel Arteta on Brighton, Timber, White and Hurzeler drama
Mikel Arteta faces the media ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Brighton in the Premier League at the Amex Stadium. The Gunners boss wants to keep up his side’s perfect record but faces a stern test.
The Seagulls have just knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford, but did so at the cost of one fewer day of recovery compared to Arsenal who won comfortably at Ipswich Town on Tuesday evening. Missing the game were five senior defenders who the Gunners boss will hopefully provide some more clarification on.
The most attention is on the right back position after both Ben White and Jurrien Timber missed the game. The fixture reunites Arteta with Fabian Hurzeler after the pair had a frenetic meeting in last season’s match on the south coast.
Our Arsenal reporter Tom Canton is at the Sobha Realty Training Centre in London Colney for football.london to provide all the updates…
You cannot coach that, you either have it or you don't. I absolutely loved it. The courage that it gives to a 16 year old.
Let's see. It is something we have to experience. Managers have taken different approaches.
Work together that is the best way always.
All good. We have another training session.
Yeah, we have another session, and they are willing to be part of it, so we will see.
I think we are very much aligned and when the time is right we will get that done. There is nothing to be concerned about.
We discuss many topics and very important all of them. To talk to give their opinions, and everyone's duty to try and improve the game.
It is a conversation that will remain private.
Man Utd got an apology, did you want one?
It is not about an apology. It is about agreeing that the decision should be different or not.
The future is bright at Arsenal with both Max Dowman and Marli Salmon not looking out of place whatsoever among their senior teammates. Arsenal have produced two more starlets to potentially join Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri among those taking their careers to new levels.
Dowman scored twice while Salmon started in the heart of a team’s back four which has gained notoriety for just how strong it is. No doubt the missing five senior defenders due to injury have aided this pathway to minutes, but the teenager was not dwelling on such things and instead set about taking his chance.
What strikes you most about Dowman is the level of confidence he has. When you watch young players in a team of superstars, they’re often receiving the ball and returning it from where it came, but no one expects that of the 16-year-old.
Max Dowman of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with Viktor Gyokeres during the Carabao Cup Third Round match(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The Premier League Key Match Incidents panel have unanimously voted in favour of Chris Kavanagh and his Video Assistant Referee team’s decision not to send off Gabriel in Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea. The Gunners beat their London rivals 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on September 6, but not without controversy.
Riccardo Calafiori’s goal was ruled out for offside, while Kai Havertz’s equaliser was allowed to stand despite a tight offside call. Both decisions were unanimously supported 5:0 by the panel.
However, the most contentious call in the game sparked plenty of debate after the clash. With the ball on the floor, several Arsenal and Chelsea players in the box tried to find contact while goalkeeper Emi Martinez attempted to get two hands on it.
Emiliano Martinez of Chelsea reacts after Gabriel connected with the goalkeeper's head the defeat to Arsenal(Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Max Dowman shares similarities with World Cup-winning superstar Lamine Yamal, according toArsenal and Spain midfielder Mikel Merino.
Dowman scored twice and even claimed a cheeky assist in the 4-2 win away at Ipswich Town on Tuesday night.
The 16-year-old was getting his first taste of senior action this season and has needed to be patient with the depth available to Mikel Arteta in the attack, but at the first opportunity, he has again shown just how special he is.
Max Dowman has been compared to Lamine Yamal by Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Viktor Gyokeres is yet to score a goal this season for Arsenal, and before playing the entire game against Ipswich Town on Tuesday night, had just 100 minutes to his name in which he’d done little to convince Mikel Arteta he deserved more. After the Carabao Cup clash, that situation has not changed; if anything, it has worsened.
Kai Havertz has been the undisputed number one to lead the Arsenal title defence this season, despite the Swede being the top scorer during the campaign in which they ended a 22-year wait to lift the Premier League crown. The German already has three goals this season, two in the league and one in the FA Community Shield.
Gyokeres was handed the chance on Tuesday to stake a claim, but his performance was widely criticised with some accusations of a lack of fight. He had just two touches in the opponent’s penalty area in a game where the Gunners scored four goals from 12 shots, only one of which was Gyokeres, a tamely struck attempt into the arms of Christian Hason.
Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino could soon be in competition for Arsenal role(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Hello and welcome to football.london's coverage of Mikel Arteta's pre-match press conference.
Our Arsenal reporter, Tom Canton, is in attendance to bring all the latest updates. Quotes to follow...