The former Man City defender returned from injury to feature in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday and has sent a strong message to his teammates following that win
Arsenal’s Europa League group stage campaign may be over but Carabao Cup duties are next up on their midweek schedule ahead of the World Cup as they take on Brighton on Wednesday.
The Gunners will be hoping to continue their fine start to the season in yet another competition, and following their statement victory over Chelsea on Sunday, Oleksandr Zinchenko has issued a strong message to his teammates. Elsewhere, Arsenal must remain patient to find out who they will be facing in the last 16 of the Europa League.
Versatile Ukrainian left back Zinchenko has ordered his Arsenal teammates to “kill-off” their old mentality as they continue their unexpected Premier League title push this season.
The Gunners have failed to be crowned champions since their famous 2003/04 season, with a top four place in order to at least achieve Champions League football becoming more than satisfactory for the club for a number of years. Now, however, Zinchenko is demanding a culture and mentality change in the dressing room.
Following Sunday’s huge victory over Chelsea, he said: “I think I would say that before I got used to hearing that Arsenal, it means straight away in your mind, top four, top four. I would say, I really want to kill and destroy this stereotype.”
Arsenal made to wait for Europa League fate
The knockout stage draw for the Europa League took place on Monday but Arsenal have been made to wait to find out who they will face in the last 16.
The Gunners advanced straight to the next round after finishing top of Group A following five wins from six matches, but will have to wait until February to learn who they will face as a result of the knockout round play-offs.
These are contested between the eight runners up from the Europa League group stage and the eight third-placed side from the Champions League group stage, meaning the Gunners have avoided a potentially tricky two-legged play-off to reach the last 16.
England’s winners and losers from final weekend before World Cup squad announced
Ramsdale ‘lied’ about Aubameyang
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has been accused of “lying” after saying that former striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was not discussed in the dressing room before the game.
Aubameyang had an awkward reunion with the Gunners as he lined up for Chelsea on Sunday, having been stripped of his captaincy and moved on to Barcelona back in January. When asked about his former teammate, Ramsdale told BT Sport: “No, I don’t think he’s been mentioned.”
However, Rio Ferdinand responded by openly accusing the shot-stopper of a mistruth by saying: “He’s lying, Aubameyang definitely would have been spoken about in the dressing room before this game.”
