Mikel Arteta has warned his Arsenal players against complacency ahead of their Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night, urging them to show the lowest-ranked team left in the competition the maximum respect.
Fleetwood sit 18th in League Two and will host the Gunners at Highbury Stadium, looking to pull off a massive shock.
Arteta insists that his players must maintain their performance levels throughout the game. The Spaniard expects his pre-match team talk to be a 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.”
A Reminder From 2012
Arteta was in the Arsenal squad in 2012 when Arsene Wenger’s side suffered one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history. The Gunners were beaten on penalties by Bradford in the quarter-finals, a result that serves as a reminder of what can happen when Arsenal do not arrive 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.”