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Per - Let's come back in the league

Per Mertesacker

Per Mertesacker has called on Arsenal to turn their Premier League form around against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The Gunners go into the game on the back of two domestic defeats, although they got back to winning ways against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night.

Mertesacker says the result came at the ideal time, but insists the team must build on it when they travel to the Hawthorns.

"We have to show character and that is what makes me really happy for the next few games, because we have to sharpen up in the Premier League as well"

Per Mertesacker

“We were very convincing [against Dortmund],” he said. “We have to show character and that is what makes me really happy for the next few games, because we have to sharpen up in the Premier League as well.

“Saturday is a good chance to show everyone that we are still alive. We have secured Champions League [last-16] football and that gives us a life, but that has nothing to do with the Premier League.

“Dortmund are a good example of that, because they are already through but they have suffered a lot in the [German] league. We have to come back in the Premier League and that is the next target.”

Mertesacker was pleased with the defensive resolve the team showed against Dortmund, especially after some recent disappointments.

“We were very solid from the start,” he said. “We scored an early goal, which is quite new for us. Our performance did not drop in the second half and that was the key.

“We really stuck together and tried to find solutions. When we scored the second, we dropped a bit, but we were defensively very solid. Everyone was up for it and that was the difference to all the other games when we suffered and conceded late goals.”

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