You must be delighted with the team fought back
For sure. Really happy with the performance first of all and then the result. The context of the game was that they were a goal up after a very single situation that they had attacking an open space where the ref decided to award a pen and then straight you saw the reaction of this crowd generating the belief and giving a lot of energy to the team. I think the team showed great composure. They showed real quality but also a lot of clarity to understand what the game demanded and they executed it really well.
What will that goal do for Eddie’s confidence?
He’s a really confident boy. If he had any doubts, hopefully this can give him more confidence in what he’s doing. I thought his performance was really, really good and on top of that he scored a great goal.
When did you know Wenger was going to be here?
The players didn’t know. We wanted to keep it quiet and allow that space for Arsene. Stan and Josh are here as well and it was a really special day. Thank you so much to him for coming. Hopefully walking through the building he’s going to feel everything that everybody thinks of him, the legacy he left here. As well his presence has to be very, very attached to this football club. Also thankyou to him for everything he did at the club.
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Have you spoken to him?
I will go now. Hopefully he’s waiting in the dressing room.
Are you proud your team played like that in front of him?
Obviously it’s great. Winning my mood is going to be much better talking to him and to be around the team. He picked the right moment, a really special day because Boxing Day is beautiful day to play football and I thought today the levels were what he deserved and hopefully he’ll like.
Were you heavily involved in bringing him here tonight?
I’ve been involved but it’s about the process, the timing to make that step. Hopefully he’s going to leave here and be willing to spend more time with us and be more around us because he’s such a big influence for me personally in my career, the way I see the game, but as well for this football club.
That felt like the kind of performance that title-winning teams produce
We overcome a challenge, a difficult moment. On top of the injuries we had with Gabi, with Emile, with Reiss out, with Tomiyasu out, the team still believed and played to the level that they did again.
Did Eddie need that goal to silence his doubters?
He needed it. Every striker needs it. As well for Eddie and the team I think it’s really important yes.
Do you allow the players to start dreaming about the title yet?
I allow them to do what they want. What I tell them is we have to focus on us. We cannot control what the opponents are going to do, how good they’ll become, what point they’re going to end or drop. What we have to focus on our performance, what we do every day and what has brought us here which is not a coincidence. We just need to continue what we’re doing.
Mudryk bid tabled - anything to say?
You know that I never speak about players who are not with us. I understand that you have to ask me the question.
We said that we will try and find ways to strengthen the team [if] we find the right players and that’s what I can say.
He posted on social media that he was watching the game - happy that he’s taking an interest?
The good thing in England is that you don’t have many other matches in other countries at Christmas so hopefully a lot of people watched our game and we gave them a good show.
Young players want to come here and progress with the likes of Saka and Martinelli?
Hopefully yes, but they have earned the right. It’s not something that we have given them, they have earned the right to be part of us and be really, really important in the team and in the squad. Hopefully we will have more.
What did you make of Odegaard?
Top performance. You will look at everything he did with the ball, but what he did without the ball as well - chapeau!
Is that showing leadership?
Absolutely. The way he guided the team in many moments. The way he had the presence in the way we played today. He had a real impact in that.
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