Mikel Arteta said Arsenal have their sights set on a sunshine break after beating Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 to move within touching distance of the Champions League last 16.
Arteta’s side swatted aside the Croatian champions at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday thanks to Declan Rice’s early opener and second half goals from Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard.
The Gunners sit third in the Champions League standings and need just a point from next week’s trip to Girona to be certain of automatic qualification for the last 16 via a top-eight finish.
Even a defeat is unlikely to knock Arsenal into the knockout stage play-offs – which features the teams that finish ninth to 24th – because they have a three-point lead and a superior goal difference to the teams immediately below eighth place.
If the north Londoners finish in the top eight, Arteta has suggested he will take his squad on a warm weather training camp during the time when other teams are in play-off action.
“If we earn the right to do that, it would be great,” he said when asked about the potential for a winter getaway.
“Obviously it has been a super-busy schedule, a lot of demands and with things that have happened, even more demands, especially on the players. If we can achieve that it would be great.”
Arsenal’s fifth win from seven league phase games was never in doubt from the moment Rice fired home from Havertz’s pass just 106 seconds after kick-off.
– ‘A massive step’ –
Havertz’s 66th minute header and Odegaard’s clinical finish in stoppage-time wrapped up only Arsenal’s second win in their last six games in all competitions.
“This is a massive step forward. It puts us in a really strong position before we play Girona,” Arteta said.
“We scored three goals and dominated the game and another clean-sheet at home. Overall very happy.
“We are in a really good position. A lot of things have to happen for us not to make it. But still we have to try to win the game in Girona.”
Rice’s goal was well-timed after Arteta encouraged the England midfielder to get into attacking positions more often.
Rice has just three goals this season but Arteta believes he could go on a scoring streak now.
“His intent, his purpose, especially the attacking positions he is taking. How he is striking the ball,” he said.
“In the last few weeks he had some big chances to score. We need to affect the game from that position.
“The more consistent he is in those positions, with the quality he has, he will score goals.
“He has played so much football in the last two years. You can see when he is fresh he is a big player for us.”
While Rice’s goals will be useful, Arteta needs Havertz to be firing on all cylinders even more often.
The much-maligned German striker has reached 14 goals in all competitions 22 games faster than he did last season.
Havertz has two goals from his last two games after his wife suffered death threats following his costly penalty shoot-out miss in the FA Cup third round defeat against Manchester United.
Arteta has remained firmly on Havertz’s side and he said: “That is a good stat. What does it tell you? It shows the perception against the reality.”
