Arsenal v Everton will always be a special occasion for Mikel Arteta and he got the result he craved against his old club on Sunday.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's contribution - and future - was top of the agenda when Mikel faced the media shortly after the final whistle.
Here's a full transcript of the press conference.
on our performance...
I’m really pleased with the performance, it’s not easy to play three times in seven days. We came here very late from Greece and then we conceded an early goal as well which mentally [tough]. The team reacted straight away and we started to dominate the game and impose ourselves, create the chances and score the goals. And then just before half-time, again, a big disappointment to concede the goal from another set-piece, but again we went back into the game, we started to play, we started to dominate the game again. But in the last 20 to 25 minutes you could see that energy-wise we dropped a lot. We had a lot of issues with some of the players on the pitch. We tried to make the changes to lift it up but to be fair Everton were better than us in the last 20 to 25 minutes and had some chances to score.
on Sead Kolašinac's injury...
Well, I’m never happy when something happens like that. With Kola he’s been very unlucky with injuries, Bukayo had some issues as well before the game but then he started to play after a few minutes. It was a great contribution offensively but as well there are other moments when he showed today that there is still a lot of margin for him for improvement, and he needs to keep his feet on the ground and we have to help him to do that.
on an early goal spoiling our gameplan...
But this is part of the game, you know. This is the reaction I’m hoping for from my team. There’s disappointment and things we can’t control. One day theses things are going to happen, and one day we’re going to have to play with 10 men, or another day it will be the referee... but we kept going, we kept trying, we started to do the things we talked about and we generated the chances and the type of game that we wanted.
on Aubameyang...
I’m so happy with Auba because he is scoring very important goals for us, but as well as a captain he’s giving a great example to everyone else. That a player of his calibre is able to work the way that he is working defensively… because of the demands of the matchday are big, and he is willing and he is happily doing it and I think we should pay regards to him.
on other clubs' interest in Auba...
The [clubs who want him] are completely right because he is a superb player. He completely deserves to be liked by all the other teams. Hopefully we can convince him that this is the right place for him and that he has a future here.
on whether wins like this will convince Auba to sign a new contract...
Hopefully. Not just the wins but as well what we are trying to do. Does he really enjoy walking out onto the pitch every time he goes? It’s very much part of what we are trying to build here and I think he is with that mindset at the moment.
on whether he initially questioned Aubameyang’s attitude about defending…
I had two questions [about Auba’s attitude to defending]. One was whether he wanted to do it, or could he not do it physically? So once I found out that physically he could do it, it was about convincing him to do it and that he can do it every three days. He’s showing that.
on Aubameyang’s mindset…
I think it’s been tough for a player like him, because there’s been a lot of disappointment in the last few months or years because he has big expectations and he wants to play for the biggest clubs in the biggest tournaments. He wants to be up there with the best players in the world, and we have to try and support him and give him everything as a club, so that he really feels fulfilled here. That’s the challenge that we have.
on how he convinced him to work harder every three days…
It’s a combination of many things, but he needs to feel fulfilled. When he does that, we show our appreciation also of what he’s doing. He could just say ‘I scored the goals, I don’t need to do it’ but unfortunately we’re not that good that we can allow a few players not to [work hard].
on why he kept the team in Athens for an extra night…
When we looked at the options, if we travelled straight after the game then we would have landed here at 4.30am or 5am, which completely disrupts the preparation. First of all the rest, and second the way they eat. In the plane it isn’t the same as the hotel and then they rest for two or three hours on the plane and then they go back home. I don’t really like it. I want to stay together there, eat well, sleep well, travel together and start to talk about the next opponent, or review the game. Then we have fresh minds, we can go home, and then the next day we’re ready to start again.
on Mesut Ozil’s workrate…
I’m very pleased with Mesut. I played with him and I know him, so I tried to push him as much as possible to do what he needs to do because I know how much he can give on the offensive side. Today’s game is a good example for Mesut. When we were dominant and the whole process is properly done and you find the player in the right position, he’s the type of winner you want. When the game becomes like this, it’s not his game, so he needs his teammates and the right structure and organisation for him to flourish. It’s not just about him and sometimes it’s not just his fault, it’s about the team not supporting him with what he needs.
on Kolasinac’s injury…
I don’t know, it looked bad. He was in a lot of pain so we will assess him [on Monday] and see how he is.
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