Arteta admits Bundesliga trend provides extra hope for Arsenal
Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal may have an advantage when Premier League football returns next week, if a trend in Bundesliga results is replicated in the England.
Arsenal’s next four matches are away from home, but will be played without fans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The lack of supporters has significantly lessened home advantage in the Bundesliga – only 21.7 per cent of matches have been won by home teams, down from 43.3 per cent before the shutdown – and Arteta is hoping this will prove advantageous to his side in the coming weeks.
Arteta told The Football Show (via Sky Sports): “We have got a good measure with what is happening in the Bundesliga at the moment. I hope it is going to help.
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“Football is about passion and energy and when you lose that, it is balanced much more.
“But, I know how strong they are and what they are able to do if they are all switched on so we have to be well prepared to go there and win the game.
“It better be right that playing away is an advantage because we are away four times in a row.”
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Arteta will take his Gunners side to the Etihad to face his former employers City in their first game back, and he admits it will be a “strange occasion”.
He added: “It is going to be strange, I can’t deny that. I know everybody there and spent four magnificent years with those players and staff.
“I am really excited as well, I can’t wait to start competing again and doing what we love most which is to play football.
“It is going to be very special for me and I am looking forward to it.”
Arsenal’s preparations for the league’s restart have been mixed. They thrashed Charlton 6-1 in a friendly but followed that up with a 3-2 loss to Brentford.
“We are trying different things and give minutes to all the players,” Arteta explained.
“We’re getting adapted to playing in an empty stadium as well and not getting that energy from the fans.”
Arteta admitted the break has been challenging, but insists he and his staff have made extra efforts to get to know the players better in the downtime.
“With the players, the most important is their mental health, that’s vital,” Arteta said. “They have their routines and they’re used to being around people and this is a different situation.
“I have spent a lot of time trying to get to know them better and treat them individually and make sure they are getting looked after.”