Mikel Arteta to field strongest Arsenal side against Watford
"The best way to prepare for the FA Cup final is to give it 100 per cent in this next game and get our momentum back."
Thursday 23 July 2020 14:36, UK
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have a "responsibility" to play his strongest team against relegation-threatened Watford.
The Hornets need to better Aston Villa's result against West Ham if they are to avoid the drop to the Championship in the final round of Premier League fixtures on Sunday at 4pm.
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Arsenal themselves were beaten by Villa on Tuesday night and go into the last day of the campaign 10th but capable of finishing eighth if results go their way and with an FA Cup final against Chelsea still to play for on August 1.
"I want to see the players in the best mindset for the final game," Arteta said. "Ideally I want to play as strong a team as I can. We have to respect that there are a few teams in a relegation battle and we have to respect that as well.
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"We have a responsibility to the other clubs and a responsibility to win any game. If mentally we are not ready or our level of application is not 100 per cent, then you have a problem.
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"The best way to prepare for the (FA Cup) final is to give it 100 per cent in this next game and get our momentum back.
"We cannot go into the game with a lack of intensity when it comes to 50-50s and things like that."
Arsenal will finish outside of the Premier League top six for the first time in 25 years this season, and while Arteta accepts they have not been good enough, he is still relishing the challenge of restoring the club to top tier of English football.
"We haven't been consistent and there have been issues in the background but at the end of the day we've not been good enough to be with the top teams," he said.
"There is a big gap there that needs to be minimised as quickly as possible. This is a beautiful challenge to bring the club back to where they should be but we know it will be difficult because of what the other teams are doing."
When asked if he would consider finishing eighth in the Premier League and winning the FA Cup would be a good season, Arteta said: "No. It is not the level for this football club."
