Arsenal boss Arteta on 'inspiring' trip to Luton as he calls Town's achievements a 'beautiful story'

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes it’s an ‘inspiring’ challenge to bring his Gunners side to Kenilworth Road for their first league clash against the Hatters in over 40 years this evening, labelling what the Luton have achieved in recent years as a ‘beautiful story’.

Games between the two sides were fairly regular occurrences back when Town were a top flight in the 1980s, Luton famously winning the Littlewoods Cup when beating their north London opponents 3-2 at Wembley in 1988.

However, since relegated out of what was then Division One in 1991, Luton have suffered badly, dropping out of the league for five years after being deducted 30 points by the FA, but have done superbly to make their way back to the highest tier of English football in under a decade, Rob Edwards masterminding a play-off final victory over Coventry City in May.

Speaking to the Arsenal official website about the fixture, Arteta said: “It’s inspiring, and as well to play there is going to be something different. We’ve already discussed that with the players, but really positive too, that’s the tradition of English football, our league.

"They haven’t been in the league for a long, long time and I think Arsenal hasn’t played against them for a long, long time, so it’s a good evening.

“It’s incredible the way Luton have done it, the frustrations they had. It’s an example to any club in the Premier League, to give hope as well that any club is able to do something extraordinary like this. It’s a beautiful story."

Although travelling to Kenilworth Road will be a new experience for Arteta and his players, the Spaniard has already taken steps to tell his side just what they are letting themselves in for this evening.

He continued: “They know, we have already warned them, they know what to expect. They know about the atmosphere and they know about the access.

"They know everything, and especially they have to know about the team that they have to face tomorrow and the difficulties we are going to have to play against them, and as well what the opportunities are for us to win the game.

"I would say it is an inspiring place. I think what they've done is remarkable with what Rob did with the team last year, the way they did it and what they transmitted as a team.

"We are neighbours and we’re always very close to here so it's just an amazing story. They fully deserve all the credit they are getting, from last year as well as the way they are playing this season.

"Some of the results that they have got and in the games that they've played, they’ve been extremely close so we're going to have a really intense and difficult match.”

Although Arteta and Edwards didn’t cross paths during their times as players, that changed when they both went into management, the former Everton and Arsenal midfielder saying: “He's a great coach and a really special person as well. You can tell the way he coaches his team and the way his team behaves and I’m very happy for him and what he’s doing.

"We’ve stayed in touch because he was at Watford not long ago so we’ve been pretty close.”

Town's chief was also highly complimentary of his opposite number during his pre-match press conference as well, saying: “He’s a incredible manager and it’s good that the football club, they’ve seen something that’s in him, that they want to grow with him, want to build the whole football club with him there.

"They had one or two tough moments in the past, but there’s been clear improvement consistently there and he’s built an incredibly strong team now that looks like they’re going to challenge for the big trophies.

"He’s just approaching four years there, I think that’s a quick turnaround with the job he’s had to do so really impressed with what he’s done and it’s another privilege to go up against a top coach like him.”

Although the Gunners are clear favourites to win, sitting at the top of the table and having won five from five in all competitions, despite Town’s lowly position in the table, Arteta believes they are better than that would suggest.

He added: “I think they are a really good team and probably the table does not reflect what they have done in many games. The way they have lost games or drew games as well in five minutes during the final stages of games. As I say, it probably doesn’t reflect that, but it’s a difficult game, that’s for sure.”