Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, welcomes the spirited exchange between teammates Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ben White following Tuesday’s narrow 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest. 

The Gunners’ close call at the City Ground prompted a passionate discussion between the players, eventually diffused by coach Nicolas Jover and Arteta.

Despite a late scare from Taiwo Awoniyi’s 89th-minute goal, Arsenal’s goals from Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka secured them a crucial win, elevating them to second place in the Premier League.

Arteta’s enthusiasm for the Zinchenko-White confrontation is palpable: “I love it. They are demanding more from each other… Playing the way we played, the result has to be bigger, and the clean sheet has to be there.”

Praising Gabriel Jesus’s determination to play despite a knee issue, Arteta commends his unwavering commitment to the team’s cause: “When you have that mentality, good things are going to happen.”

However, uncertainties loom over Jesus’s availability for Sunday’s clash against Liverpool due to a knee reaction from the previous game. Despite this setback, Arteta remains optimistic, citing Jesus’s positive attitude and sharpness in training as promising signs.