Mikel Arteta is not shying away from the pressure he and Arsenal are under as they look to end a miserable home run against Southampton.
The Gunners have lost their past four league games at Emirates Stadium and sit 15th in the table before hosting Saints on Wednesday.
Arteta won the FA Cup last season but accepts there will be criticism amid such a miserable stretch.
"I feel the pressure all the time. It will always exist," he said.
"This is our reality and we have to face it. We have to face it being brave, fighting and no one giving up. It's not time to hide. It's time to put your face and your body on the line.
"At the moment, I'm sorry but we have to take the bullets. We are not winning football matches and you have to put your chest there and (say) 'hit me' because you have the right.
"What else can I do? Put my head down and work harder and try to do things better and improve. That's how we have to approach it, in my opinion."
High-flying Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl will not be taking Arsenal lightly.
He says Saints, then struggling, "changed everything" when the sides drew 1-1 last November.
Arsenal could now similarly recover, he explained: "That is the reason why you also must be careful of any opponent who is struggling.
"They can also take such a game for a good turnaround, so be careful, be focused, do the best you can do to win the game.
"We have played this season three times against the 'top six' teams and only took a point against Chelsea.
"In the other two games, against Tottenham and Manchester United, we were winning and then a little bit too naive to take all the points we could have taken, maybe, so we must learn from these games."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arsenal - Dani Ceballos
Following Granit Xhaka's dismissal against Burnley, Arsenal have now received six Premier League red cards since Arteta took charge a year ago, double that of any other side in this time. They will hope for a more measured display from the man who replaces him - most likely to be Ceballos, looking to reclaim a regular starting berth.
Southampton - Oriol Romeu
Manning the Southampton midfield up against Ceballos will be Romeu. He has been a key man in Saints' strong form this season and even got involved in the final third in the win over Sheffield United. He registered his first Premier League assist in his 193rd appearance in the competition.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- Arsenal are unbeaten in their past 25 home league games against Southampton (W18 D7) since a 1-0 loss in November 1987.
- Southampton drew this exact fixture with Arsenal 2-2 last season, conceding a 90th-minute equaliser to Alexandre Lacazette. They have not avoided defeat in consecutive away league games against Arsenal since September 1988.
- Arsenal have lost just one of their 21 Wednesday Premier League games at Emirates Stadium (W14 D6), going down 2-1 against Swansea City in March 2016.
- Southampton are winless in their past 21 Premier League away games played on a Wednesday (D7 L14), since winning 2-0 at Chelsea in April 1995.
- Excluding own goals, 10 of the past 16 Premier League goals in fixtures between Arsenal and Southampton have been scored by English players; prior to this, only 10 of the previous 55 goals were scored by Englishmen.
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