Mikel Arteta is confident Fulham’s unconventional training methods will pay dividends against Manchester City on Saturday.
The Gunners are hoping for a favour from their London neighbours who face Manchester City in tomorrow’s early kick-off.
A rare slip from Pep Guardiola’s men would put Arsenal back in control of the title race ahead of their box office clash against Manchester United on Saturday.
Arsenal fans were understandably perplexed earlier this week when footage emerged from Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground which captured three Brazilian players flying kites.
Arteta, himself, has been known to try some quirky methods of his own in the past and once infamously installed speakers at the training ground in an attempt to recreate the infamously hostile Liverpool crowd ahead of a game at Anfield.
Asked for his response to Fulham’s kite flying antics, Arteta said: ‘It’s the power of team bonding nobody knows what is it, but sometimes you get amazing result.
‘I’ve been in teams that have been struggling, go out for a dinner, and then start an unbelievable run. I’m really positive that’s going to happen to Fulham.’
Former Arsenal star Willian was one of those players who took part in the kite flying activity, but the veteran winger insists he and his teammates will be taking the task of beating City seriously in an attempt to finish another strong home campaign on a high.
He said: ‘It’s always good to play against the big teams, especially City who are – for me – the best team in the world,’ he said. ‘It’s going to be a difficult one for us, of course, but it’s always a pleasure to play these kinds of games, for sure.
‘To beat them, you need to be perfect. In every moment of the game, in every aspect of the game. If you sleep for five seconds, they can kill us. I think it will be a great game to play.
‘We respect them a lot, as I said they’re the best team in the world, but we cannot be afraid to play against them. We need to go there Saturday and try our best to win the game.
‘We have examples – we played against two big teams and beat them at home. And now we have another opportunity to do the same.
‘Of course, it will be a tough one, a tough game to play, but I think together we can do something special.’
On the prospect of helping Arsenal, he added: ‘To be honest, I don’t think about helping Arsenal, or any other club,’ he explained. ‘We have to think about us, to do the best game that we can do on Saturday.
‘We have two games left and we have to fight for the points, but for me personally I don’t think about any other situation, any other club. I think about myself and my club.’
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