The manager's Arsenal side sit atop the Premier League table, but he has acknowledged that the pressures of the hectic schedule is being felt by sides all over Europe.

Speaking to the press after the Gunners' win over Brentford, he said: "It's probably not one thing, but we can help the players and everybody in the league and everybody to do what we have to do, give it another day. "Especially the teams that are playing so much in Europe. To everybody in general, I think we can do that because we're going to benefit from that.

"We've never had such a schedule on every level, not only in the Premier League, but every competition internationally as well. So we need to try to do that, please.

"I think it's common sense. I think at some point this becomes too much, you know, and the players are not machines. But we have to try to do that when we can."

The schedule has impacted his team choices, with Arteta forced into rotating his starting 11 against Brentford.

He explained: "Rest, that's quite a positive word to use. We had to make some changes; we had a very demanding week at every level: emotionally, physically, and what the game demanded.

"The tactical and technical aspect of it, we were asked to play three days later, one less recovery than Brentford, and still performing the way that we've done against a team that is super well coached, very well organised.

"They are very clear about how they want to generate big chances and they are really good at doing that."

Arteta insisted even at 1-0 he "knew it wasn't enough" to guarantee a win.

He added: "I don't think we conceded anything apart from the save that we had to make from the corner.

"But the game was always open and we needed that extra energy to close it, and maybe when we didn't have it, we had the courage to take the ball under pressure and to start to break their press through very good movement and purpose with the ball to go and score the second goal and win the game."