Arsenal: Mikel Arteta issues response to players' team-bonding dinner after Atletico Madrid win | OneFootball

The Gunners thrashed the La Liga side at the Emirates Stadium

Mikel Arteta says he was a fan of his Arsenal squad going out for a team-bonding dinner this week - and has given them the green light to do it again.

The Arsenal players headed to the restaurant Pirana in Mayfair on Wednesday night in the wake of their 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League 24 hours earlier.

“I love it, because playing every three days with the other international games, they spend so much time together,” he said.

“Ask the leadership group [if there will be more dinners]. If the time is well and they behave the way they do it, there’s no problem.”

Arsenal are enjoying a brilliant start to the season and they are currently top of the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace.

The Gunner’s defence has been key to their success and they have only conceded three times in 12 games, which is a club record.

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson famously said: “Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.”

Arteta has admitted he his a big believer in that mantra as he tries to end Arsenal’s 21-year wait to win the title.

“When you look at his titles and who talks about this topic, and in the manner and the reason why, you have to really put that as a big message in your office,” he said.

“Because you know that gives you one of the biggest platforms to win titles. It’s something that he did consistently, so he’s right.

“We defend to score more goals. We defend to attack better. That’s the purpose, that’s the reason why we defend.”