Every word of Mikel's pre-Liverpool presser

Mikel Arteta has held his pre-Liverpool press conference at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.

The boss was asked all about the latest team news, Sunday’s big game against the league leaders and much more.

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

on updates on Jesus and Partey:
Yeah, Gabi obviously played and trained with us the whole week. With Thomas, unfortunately, we had a little setback a few days ago, so he’s not going to be available to be in the squad. Whether that’s a matter of days or weeks, we’ll see but he had a little thing.

on Thomas’ setback:
I’m not a doctor but I’ll try to [explain]! He felt something again in a very similar area and he wasn’t able to train the last few days.

on Sunday’s game against Liverpool:
What we need to do is play the way we played in the last two games against them, and be more efficient in the areas that are going to decide the game. [I’m] very excited, it’s always great to prepare a game against Liverpool; how good they are, they dominate every aspect of the game. We play at home, and what I sense is a real sense of positivity and enthusiasm around the place.

on how well equipped we are going into these big games:
Obviously, we had some big experiences and what we did last season was another big step. This year, what we’re trying to do, is something even better, and we are in the Champions League as well, which is a big step, and yeah, the squad is better. It’s true that we had some very important injuries, but I think the squad has managed that really well.

on our FA Cup game against Liverpool and if we’re in a better place now:
In terms of the team performance, very similar. Obviously, we had an opportunity to refresh and reconnect again when we went to Dubai. And then we had a long period as well between the Palace and Forest games, and my feeling is that we continue to play really well. Obviously, we were much more efficient in the final third and that’s very helpful to win football matches.

on players fighting with each other:
You don’t argue with somebody that you don’t have a great relationship [with]. That happens because you have the trust and the chemistry to react with somebody the way he did.

on needing that sort of behaviour in the team:
I love it. As long as it’s [done] in a respectful way, and only with intention to be more demanding and better as a team, and it stays there, I’m very happy with that.

on if a win against Liverpool would provide confidence and momentum:
Yes, and we have done it. This season, we have beaten big teams already and it’s another opportunity to beat Liverpool now and be in a much better place. We talk about momentum; we’ve won the last two games and want to win the third one, especially at home with our people. It’s going to be an incredible atmosphere, and we’re going to need that, so I encourage everybody to do that, to play every single ball with us, and if we do that, we’re going to have a big chance to win the game.

on if Liverpool are more determined to end the season well with Klopp leaving:
I don’t have a clue, hopefully not.

on what he would think in that position:
I don’t know, I’m not in that position so I have enough to understand how we feel in our position.

on if he will miss Klopp:
Absolutely, I think he’s going to be a big loss. As I’ve said before, he’s been an inspiration, he’s someone that has added a new dimension to the Premier League, [he’s instilled] a really attractive and inspiring way of playing, [how he’s] set up teams, and building a team and transforming a club as well. He will be missed but, for now, he’s here.

on if we have lost unpredictability from last season:
There are moments where you provoke certain things and other things where the opponent’s behaviour dictates what the game requires and what you can do. We are still the team that defended against more deep blocks last season, it’s nothing new, and still we score goals in different ways in the last two weeks as well which is great to see so the team has dominated every aspect of the game. We are conceding less than last season and obviously are generating more. It has to be seen in the scoreline and that’s the challenge.

on why we haven’t signed a forward in January:
If we win on Sunday and score a lot of goals? I think like this. I love my players and I think that on Sunday we’re going to score goals and they’re going to be top and they fully deserve all our credit because of the way they are.

on why it’s good to see teammates fighting with each other:
Maybe we have a different understanding of what the word fight means, or a conversation, a little bit heated, a little bit emotional at the end of the game when you’re at 200 beats a minute. It’s normal, nothing new. I want to see passion, commitment from my players and for my players to have the desire always to be better. In order to do that we have to be demanding with each other. If not it’s Disneyland.

on if we lose means we are out of the title race:
I don’t know. My mindset is to win it and I’m in that frame at the moment.

on if it’s a must not lose match:
No. It’s a game that we want to win and we have to earn the right to win it. In order to do that we’re going to have to do so many good things because there’s a reason why they are there but as well there’s a reason why we are where we are.

on many clubs not signing players in the January window:
Maybe there is not a player in the market that can really make a difference or the impact you need, if you’re able to recruit him.

on looking at beating Man City as an example of how we can win big games:
Yes or Manchester United or Brighton or when we played here last season against Liverpool. We’ve done it many times and tomorrow is a different game and the team looks really ready and prepared, it’s really looking forward to the game. We know that the stadium is going to be fully with us as well and we want those days. We want those afternoons with our supporters where we have challenging things and the next game is a big one.

on Partey not being able to stay fit:
It’s a big concern because he’s such an important player for us and he was getting some momentum at the start of the season and then we lost him for a while. Now it’s been a long time without him and he gives us something very different that no other player can give us in the squad. He’s been a real miss.

on why the injuries happen:
They’ve been different kind of injuries. Not everything is about luck but there are a lot of things that are very difficult to control as well. The player has a history where he had some issues in the past but we have to try to protect him and do everything that we can to try to avoid it again.

on the Sobha Realty Training Centre:
We just want to welcome Sobha Realty to our football club. I think it’s going to be a great way for us to evolve the facilities and the updates that we need around the place to improve performance and make this place more special. We have some necessities and they’re going to be really helpful to fulfil that.

on Lino Sousa leaving on deadline day:
It was a club decision and obviously he had a really particular situation with his contract. There’s been a lot of talk about it and the club believe it was the best decision to do that and I supported that decision.

on the willingness to give young players a chance:
We certainly want to do that. First of all we need to produce those talents and they have to earn it and secondly they have to be in the positions that we need fulfilling. Everything has to come together and we are working on that. We have a few prospects which are not far away, but the reality is we want more. Today, to give the opportunities to play in the first team at the level required, we are a bit short.