Arsenal

Shkodran Mustafi: 'Arsenal players must roll up sleeves'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 22 March 2017

Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi says that he and his teammates must "roll up their sleeves" when they return to action in the Premier League.

Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi has acknowledged that the Gunners have not been playing to their potential in recent weeks.

The North London outfit have lost four of their last five fixtures in the Premier League, while they were embarrassed by Bayern Munich in both legs of their Champions League last-16 tie.

It leaves Arsene Wenger's side facing a struggle to finish in the top four of the league table, and Mustafi admits that he and his teammates must "roll up their sleeves".

The 24-year-old is quoted by the DFB website as saying: "We haven't been playing to our potential. As a team we can use this international break to refresh and then start again when we go back.

"When we meet up again in London we need to roll up our sleeves. We want to finish in the top four because Arsenal wants to be playing in the Champions League next year.

"I think it's risky to justify our position by saying we have played two games fewer than Liverpool. If we had beaten West Brom, we wouldn't be sixth."

Mustafi has made 31 appearances in all competitions since moving to Arsenal in the summer.