Alexis Mac Allister says this weekend's Emirates FA Cup tie against Blackpool is an important one for the team and their development.
The Argentinian scored his first two goals for the club against Portsmouth and Preston in the Carabao Cup earlier this season – his first in English football.
He said, “Those opportunities in the cup were when I boosted my confidence and felt good, they were very important for me.
“This weekend we are playing in a very historic competition and one that we always want to do well in. We want to go as far as we can because victories in any game build confidence in the squad.”
Mac Allister highlighted two significant areas where he feels he has improved since he returned to the club a year ago after a loan spell with Boca Juniors.
“I have had to do quite a lot of physical work, that was very important for me in allowing me to develop.
“I have also worked and developed a lot tactically, understanding what the manager wants from me and how we want to play. There is a big focus on that.”
The 22-year-old also thanked a number of people for the help and support they have given him as he settled into English football.
“From a language point of view I speak a lot with Florin Andone and I was also close with Bernardo and Martin Montoya too. Leandro Trossard and Alireza Jahanbakhsh have helped me a lot as well.
“I also have to mention Bruno, he has been very important for me. He's a good guy and I always speak with him. He can pass on all of his experiences to me and he talks to me about life and football, he has really been important.”