Mikel Arteta has stated that Arsenal will not be affected psychologically by falling to second place in the Premier League, and he urged his squad to go “all in” for the final five matches to secure the title.
Manchester City’s recent 1-0 victory over Burnley has erased Arsenal’s nine-point advantage in less than two weeks, bringing City to the top of the table on goal difference for the first time since August.
This season, Arsenal had led for 208 days, spending more time at the top than City during Arteta’s tenure since 2019, despite not having won a title, whereas City has claimed four Premier League titles in that span.
The Gunners will have an opportunity to regain their lead when they face Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, while City competes in the FA Cup semifinals.
When asked if the narrow loss of their top position would have any psychological impact, Arteta responded on Friday: “Not for me. Previously, the psychological stress came from being chased for many months. What is good or bad? Ultimately, what matters is winning the next game. C’est fini. The psychological effect fades away, regardless of your position, when you focus on winning the next match.”
“This week, I’ve noticed an increase in energy and belief. Clarity about our objectives has never been better. We have five games left, starting tomorrow: game one. Let’s give it our all.”
“With five matches remaining over the next four weeks, we have two significant competitions to fight for, with everything at stake. If someone had told us this at the start of the season, we would have accepted it. We’re extremely excited.”
With both teams currently level on points, the title could be decided by goal difference or goals scored, but Arteta indicated that Arsenal would stick to their usual strategy.
“We can’t predict that. Our focus is solely on our potential. The first step is to earn the right to win the game, and then to go out and do it.”
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“Depending on the situation, other thoughts may arise, but the priority is to focus on being in the right position to win the game. Winning is the first objective.”
Bukayo Saka is expected to return after a five-match absence due to an Achilles injury, while Riccardo Calafiori is also “likely” to be included in the squad. Unfortunately, Jurriën Timber will not be available.