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Arsenal will look to maintain their place in the Champions League qualification spots on Sunday when they face Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Going into the weekend the fourth-place Gunners are only above London rivals Chelsea on goal difference, with Manchester United two points further back.
The north London outfit’s manager Unai Emery spoke to the press (13:44) prior to the trip to Merseyside, and these are two most important things the Spaniard said.
Granit Xhaka injury update
After scoring against Manchester United and then for his country during the international break, the Switzerland international missed the clash against Newcastle United on Monday through injury.
Judging by Emery’s latest update, it seems unlikely that he will be in the starting XI on Sunday.
The 47-year-old said: “We are waiting on tomorrow’s training, some players – Xhaka, Koscielny – didn’t train with us today. They are working with the physios.”
The fact the man that is becoming more and more of a vital player for Arsenal missed training two days before the match is hardy promising, and others may well need to step up to the plate again at Goodison Park.
Poor away form
The former Sevilla boss was also asked why his team’s results on the road have been nowhere near as good as they have been at home in the Premier League, a fair point considering they have taken 44 points on their own patch compared to 19 on their travels.
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Emery said: “We don’t set up differently. In all my career I did the same but not for me, I also watched other teams. Usually every team gets more points at home than away. Every team.
“After is how we can take our best performance and results away. It’s our challenge. The last matches in the Premier League: Huddersfield, Tottenham. We had good performances. Good results.
“The first is we need to feel our moment now, getting better. Above all, being competitive at home. We want to be the same away.”
No explanation perhaps, but it is telling that Emery hints that he almost doesn’t believe in his team to be as good away from home as they are at the Emirates.
That attitude needs to change if Arsenal want to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League title in the coming years.
