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Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal have not been "efficient" in front of goal

Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal have not been
© Reuters
The Gunners are enduring a worst start to a top-flight season since 1974-75.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his side must become "super efficient" again to kick-start their Premier League campaign.

The Gunners head to Everton on Saturday without a league win since beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in early November.

Arsenal have paid a heavy price for missed opportunities – something which Arteta feels is crucial to recapturing the form which saw them win the FA Cup following Project Restart.

Liverpool's Sadio Mane scores against Arsenal at Anfield
Arsenal were beaten 3-1 at Anfield during September (Jason Cairnduff/PA)

"In key moments we were super efficient. This season, in key moments we have not been super efficient," said Arteta, who has presided over Arsenal's worst start to a top-flight season since 1974-75.

"We had three one-v-one situations against Liverpool at Anfield, another three against Manchester City and we did not convert them.

"The opportunity they had, they scored. The margins have been really small.

"The numbers we have created against big teams have been much better than the ones we produced before, but we got different results.

"That is sometimes related to bad luck, sometimes it is confidence.

"This game is about putting away the ball when you have moments in the game."

Following their success over Chelsea at Wembley and then winning the FA Community Shield after a penalty shoot-out against Liverpool, hopes were high of a positive campaign ahead.

Arteta, though, will look to focus on matters he can control as Arsenal look to the future.

"The reality of where we are, I know it really well. People inside the club know it, but you cannot stop the speculation and expectations," he said.

"But it is much better to have high expectations than low expectations – this is what this club is about.

"The fact that we are in a different position right now in the Premier League, we cannot take that away.

"This is us right now and we have to get through that."

It is almost a year since Arteta took charge of Arsenal, the former midfielder returning to the top job at the Emirates Stadium following the departure of Unai Emery.

Arteta recovered from contracting Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic, eventually ending the interrupted campaign with Wembley glory.

"I want to believe I am much better," said the Spaniard as he reflected on the upcoming anniversary of his appointment.

"I have experienced things in a year that in a normal job you would experience in 10, but it has been great.

"Great because of the people I have around me, the experience we have been able to share with everyone in the club, with the players – in this moment, it has united everybody a lot.

"We have gone through that and we will get through it and I have some really good highlights."

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Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti pictured on November22, 2020
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1494136191731
2Leicester CityLeicester149052617927
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd138232821726
4Everton148242519626
5Chelsea1474329141525
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1474325141125
7Southampton147342519624
8Manchester CityMan City136521912723
9Aston Villa1271424131122
10West Ham UnitedWest Ham146352119221
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves146261419-520
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle135351722-518
13Crystal Palace145361925-618
14Leeds UnitedLeeds145272430-617
15Arsenal144281218-614
16Burnley13346819-1113
17Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton142661622-612
18Fulham142481323-1010
19West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom141491029-197
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd140212825-172

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