Declan Rice admits the vibe around the Arsenal camp is positive despite their Champions league knockout tie
Arsenal is set to return to action this weekend, hosting Newcastle, aiming to rebound from a disappointing loss against Porto in the Champions League.
Arsenal faces an uphill battle to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League following a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Porto in the first leg.
Despite having 65% possession, the Gunners failed to register a shot on target, conceding a late goal from Ganelo in the 94th minute.
Mikel Arteta’s focus now shifts to a Premier League clash against Newcastle, aiming to continue their title charge.
Currently sitting third in the table, Arsenal can narrow the gap on leaders Liverpool with a victory over Newcastle on Saturday evening.
Next up for Mikel Arteta’s side is a crucial Premier League encounter against Newcastle, as they aim to sustain their title challenge.
Sitting third in the table, Arsenal trails leaders Liverpool by four points. A victory over Newcastle on Saturday evening would allow Arsenal to narrow the gap and keep pace with the league leaders.
Declan Rice addresses dressing room row
Despite the defeat against Porto, Declan Rice has stated that the mood in the Arsenal dressing room remained positive at full-time.
Despite the team’s previous winning streak and the setback in performance and result, Rice emphasized the upbeat atmosphere, attributing it to the overall positive start the team has had in 2024.
Reports from the Mirror via Hayters TV, He highlighted the team’s ability to focus on the positives and identify areas for improvement moving forward saying “Look, we have lost games this year – and drawn games – and I’ve seen the changing room after.
It’s been really bad. But tonight, we have just lost, but there’s real positivity around the group at the minute, we’ve had such a good start to 2024. We take the positives from tonight and see where we can improve.”
Porto Manager hits at Arsenal
Sergio Conceicao responded sharply to Mikel Arteta’s remarks about Porto’s style by suggesting that Arsenal should prioritize winning games over attempting to play attractively.
Despite Porto sitting deep and focusing on counter-attacks in their match against Arsenal, Conceicao emphasized that while Arteta had expressed his opinion, the key difference was Arsenal wanting to play while Porto aimed to secure a victory.
