Arteta says Arsenal will take Champions League belief from 1-0 win at Sporting | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal will take belief from the club’s 1-0 win at Sporting CP in the Champions League.

Arsenal earned a narrow win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with the Portuguese champions. Kai Havertz scored the decisive goal in stoppage time, to give Arsenal the advantage ahead of next week’s return at the Emirates.

The win saw Arsenal bounce back from successive defeats, after seeing their League Cup and FA Cup campaigns ended in consecutive games.

Those results have seen Arsenal’s trophy credentials questioned, but Arteta said it is important to have perspective on his side’s season. The North Londoners are nine points clear in the Premier League as the club chase a first league title since 2004, and are now well-positioned to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the second straight season.

Asked whether the win at Sporting would reinstall belief in his team, Arteta said: “Yes, because the demands from August is win and win and win and win and if you don’t win, it’s a disaster and it’s not enough. You don’t win four trophies and… what are we doing?

“So that’s fine, but they need some perspective especially from my side, a big reminder of what we are as a team and the things that have brought us where we are. Take it, live the present, do your best and let’s see what happens.”

Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres faced his former team for the first time and said farewell to the Sporting fans at the final whistle. The Swedish striker had pushed for an exit from Sporting in the summer and Arteta was pleased to see the 27-year-old get a good reception.

“Well, I didn’t know that but I’m really happy to hear that because I know how he felt in the manner that he had to leave as well. I know when a big player leaves a big club, it’s never easy. But if that has been the case, it tells a lot about the culture and the supporters here and as well what Viktor meant to them and what Viktor did for them. So I’m sure he’s very happy with that.”

Read – Arteta hails extraordinary Arsenal star after Sporting win

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