Unai Emery has responded to Carlo Ancelotti’s claims that Arsenal players are not as fit as the Napoli side, despite collecting the 2-0 win at the Emirates.
The Italian boss said after the opening Europa League game, “I think that the second half was completely different. The fact we push a lot at the end and we were physically a lot better as some of their players had cramps. This is another thing that we can use in Naples.”
The Gunners did grab the advantage over the Serie A side but they will regret a number of missed chances. They are due to face Watford this Monday with the chance to push their chances of a top-four finish.
Emery chose to dismiss Ancelotti’s comments and said, “I think we’re OK. The players finished tired because they worked a lot. But I prefer to finish like that and not finish matches with the possibility to continue playing.
“I know, and the players also, that we need every player to be ready to play and help. On Monday, I am sure we are going to play different players but [try] to find the same performance. “Some players after playing with this demanding performance physically, maybe we need something different. Next week it will be the same in Naples.
“We’re going to prepare for Monday first, and also recover the players after the game today thinking that we are going to play a lot of matches [every] three days. ‘We need every player with the commitment, with the behaviour and the performances.”
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