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Mikel Arteta accepts that Tottenham deserve their eight-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League and that they have simply “done better” than his team this season.
Arsenal are in 14th place, their lowest position heading into a North London derby since August 1993. On Sunday they make the short journey to league leader José Mourinho and Arteta is unwilling to overlook the gap between clubs.
“It is what it is,” he said. “The table is like that because they deserve it more than us and they have done it better than us. At certain times in certain games they have done it and got the results. We have to accept that. But we want to go there and make that gap three points smaller. “
He added that the Spurs were “in the position they are in because they are doing things the right way.” Tottenham will also have the 2,000 fan advantage at home and Arsenal, having put on an entertaining display for their own fans against Rapid Vienna on Thursday, will appreciate the value of their return. Arteta hopes the Spurs will get a boost from the noise in the stands, but he’s willing to take the hit and hopes his players can feed off the atmosphere too.
“We have been waiting for this moment for a long time and I am not going to complain,” he said. “Honestly, I prefer to play in a stadium with atmosphere, with some fans, and at this moment it will be for them with their fans and next week it will be us.
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“We better be realistic about that. We’ll bring more fans back when it’s safe and as a pro it makes sense when you have to handle that extra pressure, when you have fans pushing you, giving you extra energy. This is our profession and the beauty of it is that we can share it with them ”.
Arteta admitted that a derby without fans “was not the same.” They will expect a better result than Arsenal’s 2-1 away loss in their July meeting, which was played behind closed doors. Thomas Partey, who missed the goalless draw at Leeds and the home loss to Wolves with a thigh injury, returned to training on Friday and could give his midfield a significant boost if he’s fit.
