Arsenal face Fleetwood Test as Arteta calls for focus to avoid a League Cup shock

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal must not drop their standards if his side are to avoid a Carabao Cup upset at Fleetwood.

Arsenal travel to face the fourth-tier strugglers this evening in the fourth round of the League Cup. The Gunners reached the final of this competition last season, and are aiming to go one better and end a 34-year wait for League Cup success.

Arsenal head into the game unbeaten in five games across all competitions, while Fleetwood have lost their last two in League Two.

However, Arteta said his side will take nothing for granted and said Arsenal's 'basics and habits have to be through the roof' to avoid a shock.

"Our reputation, our pride, everything is in play. So every time you play a football match, and especially against a team in a different division, respect the game, respect every opponent because they deserve to do that, and then try to win and try to play a bit better than them," the Spaniard said at his pre-match press conference.

"We all have one [upset] at some stage. We know the risk, and in football, things can get very equal the moment you are able to match certain things, and that's why our basics and habits have to be through the roof to be able to win the game."

Arteta is expected to rotate his team for the tie and could recall Viktor Gyokeres to the starting side. The Swedish striker has struggled for minutes this season, but Arteta has backed the out-of-favour forward to come through a challenging spell.

"He's done a lot of good things," Arteta said.

"We need to keep insisting. I think he had a really good contribution in Munich as well when he came on, he helped us to change the game, and that's what we need from all of them."