Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued a blunt message to his squad, telling any player who cannot cope with the pressure of a Premier League title race to consider joining another club.
The Gunners are preparing to face arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur FC with their championship ambitions on the line, following a frustrating draw against bottom-of-the-table Wolves after surrendering a two-goal lead.
Arteta’s side, who have finished runners-up for the past three seasons, have come under renewed criticism from sections of fans and pundits, with some branding them “bottlers.” Arsenal have also won just two of their last seven league matches, increasing scrutiny on their title credentials.
Asked whether the growing external pressure could overwhelm his players, Arteta was defiant.
“You ask them the question: Do you want to be part of the noise or not? If not, go and do something else,” Arteta said. “Be part of a different club or do you want to be Arsenal?
“Everybody has been demanding for 10 or 15 years that we need to go back there and fight for the title. Now we are there — and now what? You don’t want noise?
“Noise is part of it, and the bullets are part of that. We try to deal with it in the right way and achieve what we are looking for.
“At the end, you have to win the next match. If you do that, you are going to be in a much stronger position. That is the only thing we can control.”
With the North London derby looming, Arteta’s comments underline the high-stakes environment surrounding Arsenal’s latest push for Premier League glory.
