Beating big rivals has put Gunners top of the world
OLEKSANDR Zinchenko says Arsenal going undefeated against their title rivals in the Premier League this season has proved they are “ready to fight” and “compete with the best teams in the world”.
The Gunners have beaten Liverpool and Manchester City at home, while they have drawn at Anfield and the Etihad.
Arsenal went back to the top of the table after beating Luton
2-0 on Wednesday to make it nine wins from their past 10 league games following Sunday’s goalless draw against City and next Tuesday they face Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Asked if their record against their title rivals gave them confidence for the run-in, former Manchester City star Zinchenko said: “Yes, I won’t lie to you, 100 percent because it shows that we are ready to fight for it and we are ready to compete with the best teams in the world.
“The result against City was definitely psychologically important. It’s not easy to play against City away and also Liverpool away.”
Arsenal led by eight points at the start of April last season before a run of four games without a win saw City roar past them.
Manager Mikel Arteta, below, has claimed his side have learned and grown from that experience, as well as by reaching the last eight of the Champions League for the first time since 2010. Zinchenko said: “When I came here I saw already a lot of qualities and a lot of different players with such a big talent. “This year all of us, we’ve got more experience, we’ve played with each other much, much more and I think we’re improving.
“Our job is to try to do our best on the pitch and just to show our best performance.” Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu deputised for Zinchenko while he was out with a calf injury and the Arsenal squad is showing more depth this season. The Ukrainian said: “It is good for all of us and the team as well that we have good competition in each position.
“We need to fight for it and to work hard to deserve this opportunity to play every single time. “Have we got a squad to fight for the Champions League and Premier League? I can’t tell you this right now because there are still a lot of games to play.”