Reports are out claiming that Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta is happy for Francis Coquelin over his emergence last season.
The pair are direct rivals for the same midfield places.
“Everybody is starting from zero at the beginning of the season, you need to earn your place. When I’ve been fit I’ve always been involved.
“Obviously as the years go you have some players coming in and the competition is strong.
“Francis was fantastic. He showed a lot of character the way he stepped in and helped the team to get more balance and a lot of wins.
“That’s what we need, sometimes a player comes in to give you the balance.”
