Mikel Arteta says Arsenal fans have a right to protest against the club’s unpopular owners.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), headed by the 73-year-old Stan Kroenke, has been Arsenal’s majority shareholder since 2011.
The ownership group has long been disliked by many of the club’s supporters, and its standing among fans has diminished further in recent days.
Arsenal announced on Sunday that they had signed up to the Super League, a breakaway competition without promotion or relegation.
After a fierce backlash from fans, governments and sponsors, Arsenal were forced to withdraw from the project after just 48 hours.
The Kroenkes’ involvement in the botched Super League has intensified calls for them to sell the club.
Supporters plan to hold a demonstration against Arsenal’s owners ahead of Friday’s clash with Everton, and Arteta did not attempt to dissuade them.
“The fans have to express [their feelings], that is their right and they have to do it freely,” he said.
“For me, what it shows is the power and the capacity when they show that determination and passion to achieve what they want.
“If we can use this with our fans to support the team, I think that will be incredibly powerful and it will make us much, much stronger.
“So it's time to leave them to express themselves and now, somehow, we have to engage them again, get them closer to us and believing in what we do. If we do that, we'll be in a much better place.
“We know that we might have a situation outside the stadium because our fans want to express their feelings.
“Our job is to try to make the team as focused as possible to perform on the pitch.
“People and fans are free to express their feelings, and if they decide to do it that way, we have to respect that and we have to listen to them."
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