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Gilberto Silva calls on Arsenal to give Mikel Arteta time ahead of North London derby


Gilberto Silva calls on Arsenal to give Mikel Arteta time ahead of North London derby despite the club’s awful run of form, insisting ‘you can’t expect change overnight’ before urging the players to show more ‘fighting spirit’

  • Arsenal take on bitter rivals Tottenham in the North London derby on Sunday
  • They head into clash in terrible form, having lost five of first 10 league games
  • Pressure is growing on Mikel Arteta after club’s worst start to season since 1981
  • However, Gilberto Silva has called on the Gunners to have patience with Arteta 

Gilberto Silva has urged Arsenal to be patient with manager Mikel Arteta despite the club’s worst start to a league campaign since 1981.

The Gunners head into Sunday’s North London derby in awful form, having lost five of their opening 10 Premier League games while scoring just 10 goals, and the pressure has since ramped up on Arteta.

And things get no easier for Arsenal – who sit 14th – when they make the short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday to take on Jose Mourinho‘s table-toppers.

The pressure has ramped up on Mikel Arteta following Arsenal's awful start to the campaign

The pressure has ramped up on Mikel Arteta following Arsenal’s awful start to the campaign

But Arsenal Invincible Gilberto insists he is still ‘really positive’ about the future under Arteta and has called on the club to stand by their man – claiming they would be back to square one if they were to eventually replace him.

Gilberto said: ‘The thing for me now is that this will take time. You can’t expect change overnight. 

‘You have to give Mikel Arteta time. I’m really positive about him but in the meantime I think they need to sign a few more players to make them more competitive.’

The Arsenal legend, who admitted he was surprised that Arsenal didn’t opt for a more experienced manager to replace Unai Emery, also called on the players to show more fighting spirit.

The Gunners languish in 14th, having lost five of their opening 10 Premier League matches

The Gunners languish in 14th, having lost five of their opening 10 Premier League matches

Gilberto added: ‘His approach has been good. When I see him speak, I really like the way he talks about the club, the team and his ideas. 

‘He’s very clear and very honest, and that’s important, because you’re in one of the toughest jobs in the world. You must be very confident and have a strong mentality to be in that position.

‘I think you have to trust his project. You made the decision to appoint the guy. I believe they interviewed other managers and decided to go for Arteta – so if you change your mind now just because results haven’t been the best so far this season and he hasn’t had instant success in the league, then you run the risk of being back at square one and having to start all over again. 

‘It’s time for the players to stand up. Stand up and realise which club they are playing for, who they’re representing. It’s time for them to pull together and motivate each other. Sometimes it’s not about if you play bad, it’s about what you leave on the field, and the desire you must have. Run for your team-mates. Fight for your team.

Arsenal Invincible Gilberto Silva has urged the players to show more 'fighting spirit'

Arsenal Invincible Gilberto Silva has urged the players to show more ‘fighting spirit’

‘It’s that fighting spirit which Arsenal needs now from everybody at the club in order to turn results around. I’m not saying there’s no fighting spirit there already, but what they’ve been doing has not been enough in order for them to get results. They need to put more in.’

Arsenal head into Sunday’s derby as underdogs following both side’s respective starts to the season, but there would be no better place for Arteta to silence his critics than with a victory at Tottenham.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will also be desperate to prove his critics wrong on Sunday following his alarming slump in front of goal so far this season.

The Arsenal talisman has scored just twice in the Premier League – with his only goal from open play coming on the opening day of the season against Fulham. 

Gilberto Silva was speaking exclusively to Ladbrokes at its launch of the 5-A-Side Bet on Tottenham v Arsenal





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