Mikel Arteta press conference LIVE – Arsenal boss on Bournemouth, PSG, Calafiori and team news

Mikel Arteta press conference LIVE – Arsenal boss on Bournemouth, PSG, Calafiori and team news

Live coverage of Mikel Arteta’s press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at Sobha Realty Training Centre ahead of Premier League match with Bournemouth

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at Sobha Realty Training Centre ahead of Premier League match

Mikel Arteta faces the media ahead of his side’s clash with Bournemouth. Arsenal could secure Champions League qualification for a third straight season should they beat the Cherries and either of Chelsea or Nottingham Forest lose.

After the humbling 1-0 defeat to PSG in the week, the focus remains understandably on European hopes, with a trip to Paris on Wednesday dominating the thoughts of fans and likely the team. But the league form can help build momentum, and Arteta will surely want to help revive that with just four games left.

Team news will be on the agenda as he has to manage squad rotation, as Thomas Partey can play again after being suspended in midweek. Riccardo Calafiori, Jorginho and Kai Havertz are all fighting to return before the end of the season with perhaps an update on the trio to come.

On if Dowman is in the first team plans next season

We’ve certainly got a big big talent there. Let’s see.

On if he’d like some more competition for Odegaard’s role

I think we have a lot of players there. Mikel [Merino] can play there. Ethan Nwaneri its his main position. We have Max [Dowman] as well coming through.

On if Jorgi, Kai and Ricci could play in the second leg

I wouldn’t rule all of them out. Let’s see in the next few days how they react.

On if Saliba is guarateed to stay

I leave those kind of things for Andrea. What I am certain is that he is so happy here at the club.

Did you watch the celebrations

A little bit.

You have to congratulate, you have to accept and assess the reasons why you have not done it.

On not having the chance to have this game pushed due to PSG

I think in this context we have discussed this many times. We were lucky last weekend we didn’t have a game.

Is it it painful not to win the league?

Yeah, big time. It’s in my tummy, I understand that it is a team that has been more consistent and has had a lot of the ingredients.

Probably none of us thought we would be here today in the Premier League. I think he has changed a lot of things at the club, the way they have recruited.

Arteta on Liverpool winning the league with the drama of Salah and Van Dijk’s contracts

They have no distractions, the good thing was they had them on the pitch all the time.

On not thinking too much about Paris

We have talked about that. There are a lot of really important things to do in the Premier League even though we cannot win it.

On the players who are missing

The thing is we live everyday with what we’ve had. I was very shocked ahead of the game against PSG at home and suddenly I saw them all sitting together.

Tomiyasu, next to him Calafioiri, next to him Gabriel, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Thomas. I thought to myself that’s a starting eleven.

On the chance of getting the top five being 99.6% according to metrics

The message is clear. We have to play well enough to beat Bournemouth.

On Rice’s 100 appearances

Consistency, availability, the way he has adapted to the team, to the club.

On Kai Havertz’s chance of playing again

I think so, if everything goes the way it’s going at the moment, he will have a chance to play a few games before the end of the season.