Mikel Arteta has used his column in this weekend’s Manchester United matchday programme to call for unity from the side after their midweek fiasco.

“After a result like Tuesday’s I think the first 48 hours are about digesting what happened and being critical with your own performance, but after that you can ask some questions, sit together as a team and move forward from there,” Arteta said.

Mikel Arteta attends a press conference ahead of the UEFA Champions League Group F football match between GNK Dinamo Zagreb and Arsenal FC at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb on September 15, 2015. AFP PHOTO / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC
Captain’s call [AFP PHOTO / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC]
“But you need to do that as a group, without any friction or individual finger pointing, because we are a team.

“One day you make a mistake, but the next time maybe you will win the game. If one of your team-mates makes a mistake, the next one has to step in to avoid that mistake costing us something.

“That’s the important thing about being a team, and that determines how good you can be.

“Everybody is upset with what happened on Tuesday, but we don’t need any extra motivation for a game as big as today’s. We need to get up again, and I know we have the capability to do that.

“We have got a great chance to get in an excellent position in the league, then we have another two weeks before our next game while everyone goes off for internationals.

“From experience we know how important it is to win that last game before the international break.”

Arteta will not be involved in the game against United as he joins Mathieu Flamini in the treatment room. The captain has a ‘muscular problem’ which could be just about anything really, while Flamini is sidelined with a hamstring problem, the same issue that has also ruled Laurent Koscielny out for the next three weeks at least.

Thankfully, Gabriel is no longer suspended after serving his one match ban against Tottenham while Francis Coquelin has recovered from the knee injury he picked up against Chelsea and whish seemed to hinder him against Olympiacos on Tuesday.