Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will require Nicolas Pepe’s consistency to succeed in games in the Premier League and other competitions.

Pep’s individual performance on the pitch for the Gunners has been impressive although the lack of scoring opportunities has been limited for the Gunners since the season resumed from the coronavirus break.

Arteta believes that the Ivorian is a key element of the Arsenal game and if the team one way or the other is built around him, results would start to go in their favor.

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Pepe’s penalty set the Gunners on their way to FA Cup semifinals qualification on Sunday. He has recorded eight goals for the Gunners since his £72m move France last summer.

 “It’s very important to try and understand a player and find out what his feelings are, how hard it’s been to adapt to a new country, and a language that he doesn’t understand.

“I don’t know him from before, but he is very willing and he is a player with incredible potential. However, he needs to take care of moments in the game when he disconnects himself a little bit. He cannot do that, and I will be very persistent with him to try to change that.

The manager advised the 25-year old to improve on his finishing, an area that would see Arsenal triumph in the upcoming season.

“He also needs to be decisive in every game because if he is at his best he is a player who can make the difference.

"There are things to work on and improve but he is heading in the right direction. He is doing things very well too, like realizing what he needs to do for the team when we don’t have the ball. I am very pleased with him.”

Arsenal will play Manchester City in the semi-finals of the FA Cup next month.