Mikel Arteta will call his substitutes ‘impacters’ for Arsenal’s Europa League clash with Sporting

• He acknowledged that a name change might not soften the blow of leaving players on the bench
• Arteta could give Gabriel Jesus his first start since returning from injury tonight

When the squad sheets for Arsenal’s Europa League round of 16 tie with Sporting arrive tonight, they will list both sides’ starting XI and substitutes.

However, in the minds of Mikel Arteta’s players, those left on the bench will have another name: Impacter.

It’s another psychological ploy by the Arsenal boss and a move seemingly inspired by former England rugby coach Eddie Jones, who renamed his replacement ‘Finisher’.

“We wanted to change that and I spoke to a few people about it. We wanted to find something special for ourselves,” said Arteta, whose side drew 2-2 in the first leg in Lisbon last week.

“Your mentality should be just that: influence the game to win it.”

Arteta conceded that a name change might not soften the blow of leaving players on the bench, but the manager insisted: “If you keep repeating it and discussing it more and more, it will get closer.”

Arteta, who could give Gabriel Jesus his first start since returning from injury tonight, has made psychology a prominent part of his coaching.

Before away games, the team decorates the dressing rooms to make the players feel at home. In Fulham they took away a replica of Highbury’s famous clock.

“I think every game needs something different,” Arteta said. Many of his innovative team talks and tactics were featured in the All or Nothing documentary.

Arteta’s decision to play against Arsenal during training, before Arsenal were beaten 4-0 at Anfield, drew particular scorn.

But the manager said: ‘If the answer is (whether) you win or lose, then that’s different, then my answer would be ‘It depends on the result’.

“But the response as individuals and as a group is always very good.”