BURNLEY: Mikel Arteta saluted Arsenal’s relentless drive as the Premier League title chasers crushed Burnley 5-0 to keep the pressure on leaders Liverpool.
Just hours after Liverpool won 4-1 at Brentford, Arteta’s side ran riot at Turf Moor to make it five successive league wins.
The north Londoners are in second place, two points behind Liverpool as they chase a first Premier League crown since 2004.
Arsenal have been in ruthless mood since returning from a winter training camp in Dubai.
They thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0, won 2-1 at Nottingham Forest, beat Liverpool 3-1 and demolished West Ham 6-0 before putting lowly Burnley to the sword.
Martin Odegaard opening the scoring inside four minutes and Bukayo Saka’s brace was complemented by Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz strikes in the latest flexing of Arsenal’s muscle in front of goal.
Arteta was delighted by his players’ hunger as they refused to be sated by their recent dominance.
“Really happy with the performance, with the result and the individual and collective contribution of each player as well. That was very, very good,“ he said.
“And the fact that the team looked like it wanted more. It wasn’t satisfied.
“They wanted to score more, they didn’t want to concede a goal. I’m really pleased to hit that consistency.”
Asked if Arsenal’s clear superiority over their recent opponents was even more pleasing than their goal spree, Arteta said: “Yeah. We want to dominate games and play in the opponent’s half as much as possible.
“I think the threat, the purpose, the activity and the connections of the players are flowing and they really want it. We have momentum now and we have to maintain it.”
Arteta acknowledged the rout in Lancashire was the ideal preparation for Arsenal’s return to Champions League action in the last 16 first leg at Porto on Wednesday.
“Now we leave the Premier League, we go to Porto which will be a really tough environment, so just prepare to play well again and be ourselves,“ he said.
Arsenal forward Saka has scored in four successive top-flight games for the first time in his career.
Despite only being 22, Arteta said Saka was already one of the most mature members of his squad.
“Yes, we don’t really see it (in football). Especially forward players and wingers with that level of consistency and numbers,“ he said.
“At his age it is something really strange to find but it is not a coincidence when you look at him every single day.
“The way he trains, the way he applies himself, the qualities that he has. And he can do more.” –AFP
