Monday Night Special: Arsene Wenger and Tony Pulis in their own words ahead of showdown at the Emirates

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Arsenal play West Brom in the Premier League on Monday evening.

With the Gunners having a patchy start they will be looking for three points to climb the table. West Brom, on the other hand, will want to replicate their comprehensive 3-1 victory over the north Londoners at the Hawthorns back in March. 

Read on for the views of Gunners manager Arsene Wenger and his West Brom counterpart Tony Pulis in their own words ahead of the game in north London.

Why play today when it's Europa League on Thursday?

Television decides when you play and that's it. Where it becomes more difficult is after the Europa League game in Belarus. We then play Sunday morning (home against Brighton in the Premier League, noon kick-off).

Are people trying to make your life difficult?

From Monday to Thursday, time will be short and especially from Thursday to Sunday. But you have to adapt. Maybe we have to make some decisions in BATE Borisov that will give us a chance to recover between the two games.

Arsene Wenger says you can't sacrifice any competition, not with the pressure they are under

Would it help not to play in the Carabao Cup?

You cannot sacrifice any competition with the pressure that every club is under now. You know that you could pay the price because in the League Cup, you play the semi-finals — home and away — in January and you have the FA Cup, the Premier League and sometimes you lose players in these competitions.

Kieran Gibbs said going to West Bromwich will make him a better defender. What did he mean?

You should ask him. He will have to defend more maybe. They are a team who focus more on defending. We are a team that goes forward. He is an intelligent player who knows how to defend well.

What can he learn that he hasn't with you?

Learning is an attitude in life. It doesn't depend on your geographical state, but more of your attitude in your brain. Are you ready to question yourself to see if you can improve? Of course you can improve every day until the last day of your life.

Will Gibbs realise the grass isn't always greener?

Once a player makes this kind of decision you wish him well and focus on your squad. In an ideal world you want everybody to be happy. If everybody is happy, it is perfect. Gibbs did not ask to leave, it was a mutual decision. He wanted to play — he's 27. You want to play at that age. It was a difficult decision.

And what does Pulis have to say...? 

It's a big game for Kieran Gibbs against his old club...

I'll have a chat with him. He left Arsenal with great memories and he won trophies. That'll be great to look back on but it's important to look forward. I will say to him it's about what he can do here.

How has he played so far?

He's only 27, so he's got a lot left in the tank. He's been very good around the dressing room, he's got that little bounce about him which people tend to from his area (south London).

Defender Kieran Gibbs joined West Brom from Arsenal before the transfer window shut

Why can't you win at Arsenal?

I've got a fantastic record against them when they've come to clubs I've managed. But it's chalk and cheese at their place. I don't know why. We nearly got a result last season but Giroud scored late on.

Will you play a high pressing game?

There are teams that bypass you by kicking balls forward or playing through you, so it's not good to rush forward or they'll pick you off. We've got a player, Grzegorz Krychowiak, who has the legs to play in a two or three in midfield, to go box-to-box or sit in.

Glad Wenger stayed on?

He's remarkable. He will go down in history as one of the great managers at that club.

Will you fuss over Barry breaking Giggs's record?

He'd prefer it wasn't mentioned! He had to do a lot of media. I don't think he wanted to! I don't think his record will be broken, not for many years at least.  

Gareth Barry's appearance record won't be broken for a long time, according to Tony Pulis