Quotes

Arteta - The next week will be absolutely crucial

Mikel Arteta admits that the next three Premier League matches will be "crucial" to us as we look to dig our way out of trouble.

We face Chelsea on Boxing Day, before a trip to Brighton two days later and we then face bottom club West Bromwich Albion on January 2.

Arteta believes that run will be defining in what we can expect for the rest of the campaign.

"The next seven to eight days are going to be crucial to see where we're going to be heading to in the Premier League," he said.

"The best medicine when you are in this situation is to win a football match. Every defeat is another hurting moment, another moment of disappointment, another moment you have to lift yourself up and that's what we've got to do. 

"I think the medicine for all of us would be to come here against Chelsea, beat them and then move from there. It's exactly what we all need.

"We have to draw a line. A lot of things happened [against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup]. Again, we have to focus on the Premier League, because it's a priority in the situation we're in. We have a crucial week this week. We have to stand up and we have to pick up the points. Let's draw a line and move forward."