Mikel Arteta is looking to secure our first win at Goodison Park since 2017 when we face his former side, Everton, in the Premier League on Sunday.
Since a 5-2 victory over the Toffees six years ago, we have lost four and drawn one of our five trips to the blue half of Merseyside.
Mikel, who spent six years in Everton’s midfield between 2005 and 2011, is looking forward to putting that record to rest.
“I’m really excited about it obviously,” he said in his pre-match press conference at London Colney on Friday.
“Obviously our record speaks for itself. In the last six years we haven’t won there, so we’re going to have to earn it and we know that we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them there and it’s something that we haven’t managed to do, so that’s where we’re going to start.
“Obviously I have a big emotional attachment to that football club, the way they treated me and the years that I spent there. The incredible memories that I have, so I’m always grateful.
“It was a big, big part of my playing career, and now as a coach I have to play against them and obviously I want to beat them.”
Expecting a physical battle on Sunday, Mikel added: “Sometimes you cannot avoid a battle. There are certain times where you have to do this and their style of play is very clear. They are simply good at that. We have a very different style.
“When you are trying to impose your way of playing and the tactics, it’s about making sure that your opponent's strengths are completely hiding and yours are coming out every single time to fulfil the potential of your plays. That's what I think both managers and both teams will try to do on Sunday.”
Read everything else the boss said in his pre-match press conference, including team news and much more.
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