ALONSO: "AGAINST OPPONENTS OF THIS QUALITY, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO BRING OUR A-GAME"

Diego Alonso spoke in front of the media in London, alongside Ivan Rakitić, ahead of tomorrow's Champions League clash with Arsenal. "Of course, we are currently facing an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages, but this remains our goal. I'm confident that the outcome of the group will come down to the final matchday and tomorrow we have an opportunity to pick up some valuable points. It will be a tough match, they are a great side, certainly up there with the best in Europe. We have the experience of having played them already in which we showed what we are capable of, we will need to compete to the same level again, creating as many chances as possible and trying to deny theirs. Against opponents of this quality, we know that we need to bring our A-game."

"We could really do with a win. It will be a tough ask, but we know what we need to do. We know how we want to play and what we are building. It is just a matter of time. Obviously I had hoped that we would click sooner, but we have made some costly mistakes. I include myself in this, for example during the first half against Celta Vigo. But the important thing is that we learn from our mistakes. We've had some struggles, but we know what we are capable of and hopefully tomorrow we will be able to show that."

"We've had some struggles, but we know what we are capable of and hopefully tomorrow we will be able to show that"

Our head coach was keen to highlight the positives from the reverse fixture. "Our point of reference is the game we played against them at home a few weeks ago. We made some defensive errors, but it happens to every team. They also made mistakes. They are a prestigious club within Europe, but the home game was an even contest. We will go toe-to-toe with them again. Yes, we lost, but we had opportunities. Tomorrow we have a good opportunity to pick up some much-needed points."

Alonso also made reference to having the Derbi on the weekend. "Every game is different. From my point of view, we must always focus on the game in question, but we must also plan ahead as we are playing many games in a short period of time. Last week we made some changes to make sure that the squad stays fit and performs to the best of its ability."

He was also asked about En-Nesyri's lack of celebration having scored against Celta Vigo. "I love that he didn't celebrate, it was only an equaliser. The boys took the ball straight back to the centre circle. They were hungry for more, and that is the mentality that I want." Finally, the Uruguayan was questioned about the support of the dressing room. "I have the full backing of everyone within the club. The board of directors, the backroom staff and the players all support me and what I'm doing. Results are obviously the priority, but we are all very clear on what we are trying to do and the path that we are on. We are trying to build a team of players that trust each other. Victories of course help with this. I would have loved to have beaten Celta Vigo having not played well, but of course it's much easier to win when you play well! But acknowledging our mistakes will make it much easier correct."