'We have to be at our best' - Mikel Arteta discusses Newcastle test

There are no easy games in the Premier League, as the saying goes, but anyone coming up against Newcastle United right now must be thinking there's always an exception to the rule.

After four defeats on the trot and eight in eleven games, Newcastle look like a team that is there for the taking.

When you factor in the level of performance and perceived lack of effort from the players in those games, you'd imagine that Mikel Arteta is rubbing his hands together at the prospect of facing the Magpies on Saturday.

Arsenal lost their lead in the Premier League during the week as Man City leapfrogged them on goals scored, so the Gunners will be hoping for a big victory on Saturday to give themselves the best chance of winning their first league title in 22 years.

Arteta complimentary about Newcastle and Eddie Howe

Mikel Arteta may well be thinking that, but he was quite diplomatic and complimentary towards Eddie Howe in his press conference, saying that Arsenal will need to be at their best to win.

"We know the difficulty of the league. It is very clear the ability and the quality of Newcastle United, what Eddie’s done with that team and continues to do, we know how tough the opponent is going to be tomorrow. We have to be at our best. If we do that, we are going to have a big chance to win.

"I have belief in our players, the willingness that we have to achieve what we want. It is five games to go, four weeks, two big competitions to play for, everything to play for. If someone had told us that at the beginning of the season, we would have taken it. We are so excited, and tomorrow is game one.”

Cheers, Mikel

We're no fans of Arteta, but we appreciate him giving us a bit of praise here. We don't deserve it right now, but we appreciate it anyway.

All of this negativity right now is understandable on current form, but it's time to get behind the lads. We have to believe whenever the team is out there on the pitch, otherwise what's the point?

Howay the lads!