Mikel Arteta Chelsea-Arsenal press conference in full, featuring Gyokeres & Trossard injury updates

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s big game away to Chelsea.

The Gunners could make a real statement if they win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with that result potentially putting the team nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Enzo Maresca has also spoken to the press, and you can read on for every word of Arteta’s conference on Friday…

On Leandro Trossard’s fitness…

There’s another test today, we have to see how he’s feeling. It doesn’t look much, so we still have a few hours and we’ll have to see. There’s a potential chance (he’s available this weekend).

On a behind closed doors friendly…

It did happen. Gabi [Jesus] participated, and Ethan [Nwaneri] as well, because he wanted some minutes. We took the opportunity; they wanted a bit of exposure to competition, and providing that was very positive.

On Viktor Gyokeres’ and Kai Havertz’s availability…

We have another day tomorrow, so let’s see how everybody is tomorrow.

On Arsenal’s consistency…

Not that they surprised me, but you have to be able to perform in the manner that they did individually throughout long periods of the game against the opponent, and that’s very, very difficult to do. As I said, that’s the way I felt about the players, how I feel about the players and now it’s about finding the same consistency on Sunday to go and win again.

On Joshua Kimmich’s comments after the Bayern game…

I think the way both teams play, the way they played against PSG was very similar, when everything becomes man-to-man and the way they are with their full-backs, the way we do what we did in terms of rotation, they create a game that has very long sequences of passes. So I know what he’s saying, so that’s fine, it’s part of the game. I think the game is provoked in the manner that both teams play, so it’s very understandable.

On Arsenal’s recent record vs Chelsea…

It’s a big game, it’s a big London derby, we’re going to play a really good opponent, and they are in really good form. We know the challenge, we know the opportunity that we have as well on Sunday, so we are fully prepared for it.

On Chelsea’s title credentials…

I think we are all there and they are there because they fully deserve to be. What they have done in the last few years, I think the squad that have assembled, the numbers that they have, the amount of quality, the manager and the coaching staff that they have, it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there.

On making a statement win at Chelsea…

Those are statements that we are talking about every three days. After beating Spurs at home, then we have to make a statement against Bayern Munich, we’ve done that and now we have to go to the next one. That’s where we are, we knew the importance of the week, not only that, but what is coming after three days is going to be exactly the same, nothing is going to change. But we are super motivated for the game.

On keeping a lid on expectations…

We don’t talk about a lid or no lid; we need to understand basically what we have to do to be better than the opponent, to have the chance to win. If we are able to accomplish that, we will be able to do the same in the next game, nothing is going to change.

On Hincapie and Mosquera’s form…

They both have a really good possibility [to play on Sunday], Piero has played as a left-back as well, which is another option that we have in relation to the opponent, the game, and the state that the players are in. Myles [Lewis-Skelly] as well is obviously a very good option that we have there. Keep using everybody and making them feel that they are connected with the team.

On Chelsea playing down their title credentials…

I don’t know, that’s a question for them, I think.

On if this is the biggest game of the season so far…

For us it is, because it’s the next game. We just live in the present and make the best possible preparation to try to be better than them and win the game.

On Estevao’s form for Chelsea…

I don’t want to talk individually. When you look at the players that they have, the squad that they have, the squad that they have, the quality that they have in those forward positions, it’s immense. They’ve done that really well. They have recruited over the years top talent and it’s not a coincidence where they are.

On the young players relishing the pressure…