Mikel Arteta hits back at Arsenal's critics with firm message before Sporting clash

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Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal will not allow “panic” to creep in with their whole season hanging in the balance.

Gunners boss Arteta says his players are “hungrier than ever” to save their season from collapse ahead of their Champions League quarter final showdown with Sporting Lisbon . Arsenal have suffered back-to-back defeats in the Carabao Cup final and then crashed out of the FA Cup at Southampton on Saturday to turn up the heat on Arteta’s men.

But Arteta says Arsenal are ready for the challenge of their lives as the Premier League leaders face Sporting on Tuesday night and then a crunch showdown with Bournemouth on Saturday. Arteta said: “I think what we have to do is clear, instead of panic, understand if that happens, why it happened and bring clarity.

"And when you analyse that and you accept that, you'll be better. That's it, and that's the thing that we have to do. We are hungrier than ever, very excited and very motivated. Feel the pain, use it to improve.

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“I know what it means to them and I know how much they want it. It's now the moment to show it, and we have to do it on that green tomorrow at the highest level. I think when you have the opportunity that we have, that has to be taken through excitement, through preparing yourself in the best possible way, focusing on the present and on the things that we have to do.

“And especially in our identity, it's very clear what is taking us on the way to where we are, and that's where we have to focus.”

Arteta insists the players can handle the pressure - because they have had their mentality questioned since the first day of the season. He added: “That's in football, from the first game of the season. That's going to be questioned. It's okay, what about Arsenal this season? It's been like this for the last nine months, and that's going to continue; that's never going to change when you play at this level for this club.

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“There's always going to be a question mark. You have to live the present; you have to deliver it every day. You cannot pick the game, you cannot pick the moments or the actions. It's every action, every game, every moment. And that's the standard that we set and that's part of identity and it's part of this football club.”

Arsenal have been boosted by the return of Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard to the squad to face Sporting, Gabriel is also fit while Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber could be fit to face Bournemouth.