Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to return from break fit and fighting for title glory

independent.co.uk:

Mikel Arteta has urged his players to return from the international break fit and hungry to continue Arsenal’s Premier League title bid.The Gunners sit eight points clear at the top of the table after a straightforward 4-1 win over managerless Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.Bukayo Saka once again starred as he scored twice and set up the opener for Gabriel Martinelli, becoming the first Premier League player this season to reach double figures for both goals and assists.Four years on since he swore at his own fans when his substitution in this fixture was cheered, Granit Xhaka’s fine season continued when he turned home the third after the interval.Palace, who sacked former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira as boss on Friday, at least got themselves on the scoresheet as Jeffrey Schlupp’s second-half consolation under caretaker boss Paddy McCarthy ended a near seven-hour scoreless run.Saka is now one of several players to head off on international duty as England start their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign against Italy and Ukraine.Gabriel Jesus was forced to undergo knee surgery after an injury at the World Cup and, at such a crucial stage of the campaign, Arteta will be keeping his fingers crossed his international contingent return unscathed.“I want to think positively.

Touch wood, but I want to think positive,” he said.“They’re going to have to play games, they have to do it in the way that they do it here or possibly even better with their country.“We are in contact with all of them, they know how to look after them and hopefully it will all work out.“(My message is) that they really look after themselves in this period.