Every word of Mikel's pre-Aston Villa presser

Mikel Arteta held his pre-Aston Villa press conference at London Colney on Friday morning.

The boss was asked about his celebrations at Luton Town, having to watch this weekend’s game from the director’s box, Unai Emery’s success at Villa Park and more.

Here is everything he had to say on the following subjects:

on the togetherness carrying on from the Luton game into the week:
After you have to re-focus and think about the best preparation for Villa, but it was a great moment next to our fans. You see the chemistry between players, players off the bench who have very genuine, happy faces for each other and it was a beautiful moment.

on scoring in injury time for the fifth time:
A team has to have an unbelievable desire to win every match and I think we’ve got that and we’ve shown that time and time again. We could’ve scored earlier, there were certain moments that we could’ve done better to get the third or the fourth goal but when it’s not the case the team has resources and the skill right now to keep believing and actually doing what the game requires in that moment to win it.

on the run that Aston Villa have been on:
Huge credit to them, huge credit to Unai and the coaching staff for what they’ve done. They’ve turned things around, the way they play, they’re going to be a really tough opponent. It’s a great place to go, one of my favourite grounds, a very English ground and a great atmosphere to play football in, so it’s going to be a big chance for us.

on if David Raya’s mistakes are more highlighted than other goalkeepers:
Look at his form and what he has achieved since he’s been with us, it’s really impressive, but what can I say? I have three great goalkeepers. I’m really happy I have great wingers, some of them are on the bench, but the questions are not related to them and we have to accept that. As well we have to support our players in the best possible way, we have to protect them and we have to get the best out of them. I would focus much more on that. Every player needs the right support and love and they deserve that.

on the support he’s had from his teammates:
For us for sure and he’s going to continue to have that.

on his celebrations post-Luton and if he’s not allowed to celebrate:
We are but I think we have a boundary that maybe we have to extend or we just need a very strong rope with the bench so maybe we don’t move. That means we don’t move, all of us, we don’t move.

on if there needs to be clarity on how you can celebrate:
That’s why I say we, not me. I don’t know, the decision is made. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to change it from here to Sunday.

on if he has heard back from the FA:
No we had some meetings on the evidence, opinions, conclusions and content that we had. We’re just waiting to hear.

on if Unai Emery’s success at Aston Villa is a surprise to him:
No, I followed him since he was in Almeria. What he’s done for every team has been always remarkable. He always improves the players, the team, the club and he’s Basque, like I am, and he’s a manager that I really admire for what he’s done in the game. He’s done it in various countries at different levels and has always been successful, so I’m really happy for him.

on having a different team in the top four:
It shows the quality of the league. Last year there were others and it shows the competitiveness and difficulty to be up there but they fully merit where they are.

on where he will be watching the Villa game from:
I think I’m going to be in a director’s box. I don’t know, it’s a discussion we’re going to have later on, but let’s see. I will have a really nice view hopefully.

on whether Emery was our manager at the wrong time:
I don’t know, the timing was as it was. I think he still did some very good things here, but it’s not for me to judge that.

on things he did that Mikel has benefitted from:
In the first season they had quite a strong season and he did it straight away after coming from PSG and he’s carried on. After he went to Villarreal and he did incredibly well and now he's been doing really well at Aston Villa. He’s got a lot of experience and skill to get the best out of teams.

on how good Ollie Watkins has been:
He's been tremendously consistent over the last few years and he’s a real threat.

on how we stop him:
Just like with other strikers, don’t give him the ball in the box! That’s his main quality.

on whether Mikel is being targeted by referees:
I don't know how to stop [celebrating], it was a really emotional moment. You have everybody bouncing around and you lose sense of where you are, and the space that you have to be in. It was unfortunate because now I cannot be next to my team on the touchline but it is a decision that they have made. If you look strictly at the rules, yes we cannot do that. But the context is different and then the “we” I think is very important within the context.

on whether emotion is being taken out of football:
After that, straight away I sat on my seat and I stayed still there for 30 seconds, but that was after the emotion. In the moment, I think it's very difficult to demand that.

on whether he wants to stop celebrating:
If I was given the opportunity no, I would like to be there with my players because we work closely every single day to achieve what we want, which is to win the games in whatever manner. When you get those moments in sport, you should be able to do that, but I understand as well there are certain boundaries and you have to respect them, such as when you are in an away ground. But if I was given the chance, I would be there jumping.

on whether Emery was an inspiration for the other Basque managers:
I think he’s the most experienced and the most successful one by quite a long distance for everything that he has achieved in the game, and what he’s won. So obviously I admire him yes.

on their game against Manchester City:
Tactically they are really well set up, they do two or three different things, they are really brave to play from the back. They really attack you because they have players between the lines that they can really hurt you; they have players in open spaces that are constantly threatening you. But not only that, the spirit that they have created, the atmosphere, the intensity, and the belief that they have at the moment that they can go on and beat anybody.

on if it’s a four-team title race:
I think when you look at the competition, the results every week, this is so open and it’s going to be so open right until the end.

on the impact on the team of not being on the touchline this weekend:
Hopefully better! And they will play better, and they will be more positive, and I can influence them with my positive mind, and we have very experienced coaches; Albert, Carlos, Nico will be there next to them. We’ve done it in the past from home so let’s do it now.

on how having Covid and working from home helped him prepare for this situation:
Well at least I have a little experience with that! And now it’s going to be the second one, but it’s going to be much closer which I think is positive.

on latest team news:
I think everybody is going to be okay.

on when Thomas Partey might be back:
We don’t know, he’s getting a very good evolution in the injury but it’s a bit early to get a timeframe. That would be incredibly fast if he’s able to do that, so we’re going to have to wait. We’re quite short with five key players for us not being available for us for a bit of time, but we have to continue.

on if he can stay in his seat at Villa Park or get up to celebrate:
In the director’s box, I don’t think so! Never say never, because the game can get very emotional, but I will try not to do that.

on if there is enough depth defensively to cover injuries:
Let’s see, we’re going to have to adapt. We have what we have right now, it’s true that the January window is coming up, and we will have to assess where the squad is and the needs that we have, but at the moment it’s something we cannot change, we have to play all the games now throughout December in the best possible way and keep winning games.

on how the return of Tomiyasu and Timber affects activity in the January transfer window:
We have to consider every scenario, we need to have clear timeframes as well of when those players are going to be back, in which condition and to play how many minutes. After we’ve done all that work, we’re going to try to make the best call for the team.