Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta admits he's had to change his mentality this season.

The 30-year-old has flourished in his new, deeper position, making more passes than any player in the Premier League, with an superb success rate of 94 per cent.

"It's a very important job, balancing the team between attack and defence, and that's what I've been attempting to do," Arteta told the Official Arsenal Magazine.

"I've had to change my mentality a little bit - I know that I can't go forward as much as I used to, and I need to sacrifice more in attack - but if it's beneficial for the team I'm more than happy to do it.

"If you want to play at a top-level club like Arsenal you have to adapt to different roles and situations. We've got so many attacking players now, with a lot of quality going forward, and I know I now have more defensive responsibility.

"I need to assume that responsibility to help my team-mates and I'm very pleased to do it if we get the right results."