Mikel Arteta has played down suggestions our FA Cup has had a negative effect as it raised expectations for the team too early.
We won the FA cup and community shield, defeating top teams like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Ahead of today’s match, Mikel Arte ta was asked if he felt success in those tournaments has left him suffering more because of the recent poor run of form.
“The fact we were able to make people happy, for me, it’s worth it,” said Arteta.
“The reality of where we are, I know it really well and the people inside the club know it, but you cannot stop the expectations and speculation.
“It’s better to have high expectations than low expectations. This is what this club is about.
“The fact we’re in a different position in the Premier League, we cannot take that away.
“This is us right now and we have to get through it.”
Arteta is facing a lot of criticism at the moment but believes he has learned enough in his first year.
“I want to believe that I’m much better,” he said when asked about his job now as opposed to this time last year.
“I’ve experienced things in a year that probably in a normal job you would experience in 10 or 8, I don’t know.
“It’s been great. It’s been great because of the people I have around me, because of the experiences we’ve shared with everyone at the club, with the players in these moments it has united everybody a lot.
“We’ve gone through that and we’ll get through this. I have some really good highlights as well, obviously.”
