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Mikel Arteta admitted he has an emotional connection with Everton and expects his former side to put up a battle when Arsenal travel to Goodison Park in the Premier League on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Arsenal reignite their Premier League bid with a trip to Merseyside where they face Sean Dyche\u2019s Everton, who are unbeaten at home against the Gunners since 2017.<\/p>\n
Arteta praised his former side\u2019s attributes and highlighted the special connection between himself and the Toffees.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited about it, the last six years we have not won there so we are going to have to earn it,\u201d Arteta said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe know we are going to have to be at our best to beat them there and that\u2019s something we haven\u2019t managed to do so that\u2019s where we are going to start.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a big emotional connection I have to that football club with many years I spent there, the incredible memories that I have so I\u2019m always grateful. It\u2019s a big part of my playing career and as a coach I have to play against them and we have to beat them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been here and we\u2019ve been to grounds before where we haven\u2019t won before and we\u2019ve done it so it\u2019s about understanding the importance and knowing what we lacked in those games and putting it right.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes you cannot avoid a battle (with Everton), the style of play they have is very clear and they\u2019re very good at that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a different one and it\u2019s about trying to impose your way of playing and the tactic is just to make sure your opponent\u2019s strengths are hiding and that ours are coming out every single time to fulfill the potential of your players, and that\u2019s what I think both managers and players will try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Arsenal\u2019s Champions League opener against PSV next week is their first time back in the competition since the 2016-17 season.<\/p>\n
The Spaniard embraced the challenge of a difficult schedule alongside another battle with Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe played three games a week last year, but the Champions League is obviously different with the expectations and that we\u2019ve been away from it for seven years,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s excitement, this is where we want to be and when you look at the fixtures and the games we are going to have to play, I think everyone is really looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arsenal terminated Nicolas Pepe\u2019s contract on Saturday after the Ivorian failed to hold down a starting role at the Emirates since his reported \u00a372 million move \u2013 then a club-record fee \u2013 in 2019.<\/p>\n
Arteta said: \u201cWhat I can say is that he\u2019s a phenomenal boy, he trained really hard, it\u2019s not his fault that the amount of money we paid at the time.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhen things aren\u2019t working out you have to move on and there\u2019s no point when things aren\u2019t working either way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decisions has been made and I think it\u2019s in the benefit of both parties.\u201d<\/p>\n