Mikel Arteta has warned his Arsenal players to guard against any complacency when they face Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Tuesday night.
Fleetwood sit 18th in League Two and host the Gunners at Highbury Stadium, hoping to pull off a major upset. Arsenal are expected to rotate significantly, with the match coming in the middle of a hectic period and ahead of their trip to Anfield to face Liverpool this weekend.
Respect for the opponent
Arteta has urged his players to show Fleetwood the maximum respect by ensuring there is no let-up in their performance levels. The Spaniard expects his pre-match team talk to be a very simple one.
"Show them the Arsenal shirt and what we represent and that's it," Arteta said. "We need to go there and win the game. That's it. It's very simple."
"Our reputation, our pride, everything is in play. So every time you play a football match and especially against a team in a different division, respect the game, respect every opponent because they deserve that. Then try to win and try to play a bit better than them."
Memory of Bradford upset
Arteta was in the Arsenal squad in 2012 when Arsene Wenger's side fell to one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history, losing on penalties to Bradford in the quarter-finals. That result serves as a reminder of what can happen if Arsenal do not turn up with the right attitude.
"We all had one at some stage and we know the risk," Arteta said. "In football, things can get very equal the moment you are able to match certain things. That's when our basics and habits have to be through the roof to be able to win the game."
