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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists he will not use the ball used against Manchester United as an excuse.
The Gunners will look to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup when they host the Red Devils in the FA Cup third round this weekend.
Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon secured a memorable victory for Eddie Howe's men at the Emirates, with Arteta lamenting his team's lack of cutting edge and admitting they struggled to deal with the Puma ball used that night.
Mitre, which supplies balls for the FA Cup, has revealed that a customized one will be used in Arsenal's clash with United this weekend.
And Arteta insists Arsenal must adapt again and not complain about it.
“Each ball is different, it has a different flight, a different feel,” he said. 'It's not an excuse. We adapt to that. I would never use it as an excuse.
Mikel Arteta insists he will not use the ball used against Manchester United as an excuse.
The Spaniard stated that Arsenal had a hard time adapting to the Puma ball used in the defeat against Newcastle
Speaking after the defeat to Newcastle, Arteta said: “We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it's difficult for these balls to fly a lot, so there are details we can improve.”
“But in the end that's over, there's no turning back (and) it's about the next game and that's our world, reality.”
When asked further about the issue, he added: “No, it's just different.” It is very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that.
“It flies different… when you touch it, the grip is very different too, so you have to adapt to that.”
A special ball will be used in Sunday's clash to celebrate the fact that United are the competition's reigning champions, having beaten arch-rivals Man City in last year's final.
The ball is only slightly different to the usual one used in the FA Cup, and will have gold details on its surface.
It will be the third ball the Gunners will face in three games, having used a Premier League ball in last weekend's top-flight clash against Brighton.
