Mikel Arteta seeks solution to long-standing Arsenal problem as he bids to improve poor away record in Europe | OneFootball

Gunners have managed only one win in seven Champions League games under Arteta ahead of Sporting clash

Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to end their away day blues in the Champions League - and what better place for them to do that than Lisbon.

Sporting have lost head coach Ruben Amorim to Manchester United since then, but his successor Joao Perreira has promised evolution and not revolution.

Perreira was previously in charge of the Sporting second team and began life in charge on Friday with a win 6-0 over Amarante in the Portuguese Cup.

Arsenal’s away record in the Champions League under Arteta makes for grim reading

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“Anyone who was paying attention to the B team knows that this team used a similar playing system to the main team, with different details, but the principles were the same,” said Perreira.

“Taking away Sporting’s identity would mean taking away the players’ identity and taking away what they are used to doing.”

Sporting are top of the Portuguese league having won all 11 of their games, while they are also unbeaten in the Champions League with 10 points from their opening four matches.

Much of that is down to Viktor Gyokeres, who is the joint top scorer in the Champions League and the most in-form striker in Europe.

He has 33 goals in 25 games for club and country this season, including 17 in his last nine.

Arteta refused to be drawn on Gyokeres, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, at his press conference on Monday.

The Arsenal manager was, however, far more forthcoming when it came to discussing his side’s troubles on the road in Europe.

Arsenal’s away record in the Champions League under Arteta makes for grim reading.

Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick against Manchester City and will be a major threat for Sporting

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In seven games they have won just once, with that victory coming at Sevilla in October last year.

They have failed to score in any of their last four Champions League away games, with Eddie Nketiah the last player to find the net for them on the road in Europe back in December last year.

“Not all of the games [away from home] have been the same,” said Arteta. “It’s true that some of those games were when we’d already qualified.

“But it’s true we have to improve the results and we have to find the ways to understand what has been missing. Sometimes it’s been performance to be fair, and sometimes it’s been different aspects, and that’s the next step we have to make as a team.

“The efficiency we have shown inside the box, at this level, with the number of chances you are normally able to generate in the Champions League, has not been at the level that is required to win consistently.

Arsenal have aspirations of fighting for both the Champions League and Premier League - and to do that they must improve their record on the road.

They managed to do it last season in the Premier League, losing just three of their 19 away games, and now they must do the same in Europe.

A win on Tuesday would be a good start and it would also significantly boost Arsenal’s hopes of finishing in the top eight of the Champions League.

The value of that is great, with those sides earning a bye to the last 16 instead of having to play a two-legged play-off.

It is why Arteta may look to go strong with his team against Sporting.

Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz were all unused substitutes in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but could return.

Rice has been struggling with a broken toe, but Arteta confirmed he is fit to start if selected.