Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal squad to harness the bitter disappointment of their Carabao Cup final defeat as vital "fuel" to propel them towards silverware this season. The Gunners suffered a 2-0 loss to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium twelve days ago, a result that extinguished their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple.
Turning Setback into Springboard
Despite the setback, Arsenal remain firmly in contention for major honours. They hold a commanding nine-point lead at the summit of the Premier League and are preparing for an FA Cup quarter-final encounter against Southampton at St Mary's Stadium this Saturday. Furthermore, a crucial Champions League last-eight first leg tie against Sporting Lisbon awaits next week.
The Wembley defeat prompted scrutiny of Arsenal's mentality in high-stakes matches and extended Arteta's wait for a first trophy in nearly six years. However, the Spanish manager is adamant the experience can be transformative.
Arteta's Rallying Cry
"When you didn’t manage to win that final, what you have to take on board is: ‘Okay, how is this going to make us stronger for the final push of the season?’" Arteta stated. "That has been the mindset and the only work that we have done in the last few days, to use that as fuel, as tools, to be able to get the final push that we want and achieve what we want. And immediately, I could sense that from the players."
He emphasised the importance of a constructive response. "Ideally you play again the next day and when you have an international break, it is not exactly what you want. But you have to use it in the right way. We analysed what we did, not just on that game, but the last 120 days, the amount of matches we have played, our winning ratio and all the things we have accomplished and gave some perspective, but also being critical about what we can do better to help the players and to win in any game and in any context."
Arteta concluded with optimism: "It will make us better and now we have to use it for the most important and beautiful part of the season."
Injury Concerns and International Duty
The manager also addressed recent controversy after ten Arsenal players returned from international duty with injuries, including England trio Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Noni Madueke. Arteta was cautious about their availability for the Southampton match but defended the club's approach to player fitness.
"When a player is fit and able to play, he has to play," Arteta asserted. "It makes us proud that we have that many players in the national teams and the players are desperate to play. We are fully supportive of that. We have a very good relationship and communication with most of the national teams and, as I have said, with England boss Thomas Tuchel. We’ve been extremely supportive and when you have to communicate the state of every player, we’re always very honest and, at the end, it’s a medical decision and the conclusion was clear."
Specific Absences and Timelines
Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapie, and Noni Madueke have been confirmed as absent for the trip to Southampton. Madueke's injury, sustained during England's 1-1 draw with Uruguay, initially appeared severe.
"It looked really, really bad and Noni was really worried," Arteta admitted. "Only a few weeks ago he was out for six weeks, but he’s nowhere near that injury, so that is really good news." When questioned about Tuchel's suggestion that Madueke could return within "days," Arteta responded, "I think so," offering a positive update on the winger's recovery timeline.
