Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta don yarn say dat Carabao Cup final loss wey dem suffer from Manchester City go make di team better for dis season crucial period. Di Gunners lose 2-0 to City for Wembley before international break, but Arteta believe say di pain go help dem for Premier League title race wey dem dey lead by nine points.
“Immediately I fit sense dat disappointment,” Arteta talk. “And di way we look ourselves and di things wey we fit do better, and how di game fit shift from first half to second half. Dat na something wey we need to manage better.”
Di Spanish coach add say: “Dis go make us better, I sure, and we must use am for di most important and beautiful part of di season. Use di first part. If e be like ball of poison wey dey your belle, take am out quick with clarity. How I fit use am make myself better, make di team better?”
Arteta talk say di memory of di final loss must remain for players mind. “When you get opportunity to win final for Wembley, you must get am done. So dat must stay there and e be part of who you go be for next few weeks, next few months, next few years. Learn from dat and make sure say dat fire still dey dat belle, remembering wetin happen.”
Now Arsenal face Southampton for FA Cup quarter-final dis Saturday night. Di Saints dey in-form for Championship, dey seventh position with plenty recent wins. But Arteta ready for dem. “E be huge competition and closely related to history of our football club. We go play team wey dey really good moment. Dem don win plenty games recently. We ready for dem and we want go Wembley again. We go ready for dat.”
For injury news, Noni Madueke knee injury no serious as dem first think. Di winger comot for England friendly draw with Uruguay for Wembley last Friday, but Arteta confirm say e fit return within “days”. “E no serious. E look really bad and Noni worry wella, especially after wetin happen for hin oda knee few weeks ago wey make am miss six weeks. But no, e no near dat injury so dat na really good news.”
Captain Martin Odegaard and Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber both dey contention to play for south coast, but forward Eberechi Eze still dey sidelines with calf issue wey e carry before Carabao Cup final. Piero Hincapie no go available too. “E dey out,” Arteta talk about Eze. “With am, I no fit talk how long because e be special character.”
Meanwhile, FA Cup semifinal draw go hold after last quarterfinal between West Ham and Leeds dis Sunday. Di draw go happen around 1:30pm after di match wey go start 11:30am ET. Dem go show am live for TNT Sports UK YouTube channel.
Di semifinals go play Saturday April 25 and Sunday April 26. Ball numbers for draw na: 1. Southampton or Arsenal, 2. Chelsea or Port Vale, 3. Manchester City or Liverpool, 4. West Ham or Leeds. Just eight teams remain and four of dem dey top six of Premier League with Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool as favorites.
Arsenal still dey for Champions League quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon and lead Premier League table. Di quadruple dream don end but treble still dey possible. Arteta talk say: “Dis na magic of FA Cup wey every scenario, every context get history. Dis na special game. We ready face dat tomorrow.”
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