Mikel Arteta has urged his players to “take ownership” of the Premier League title race and “get the job done” after taking time to recharge and reflect following their loss to Manchester City.
Arsenal were knocked off top spot by City following their 1-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday, though with the two sides level on points with five games remaining, the destination of the Premier League trophy remains in both sides’ hands.
Arteta has called the five-game run-in a “new league” beginning with a Saturday evening clash against Newcastle at the Emirates, live on Sky Sports, and says Arsenal are ready to bounce back from their back-to-back defeats against Bournemouth and City.
“It’s important to feel the confidence, the trust and clarity on what we want to deliver on the pitch,” he told Sky Sports.
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Mikel Arteta reflects on the mood among his players ahead of the run-in
“But now is a moment for all of us to take ownership. We can talk all day, but we need to go on that pitch and we need to get the job done.
“We do have a lot of players who stand up and they are very influential. But the young ones as well and the ones who don’t have that experience as well, they have a lot of personality as well to play in this moment.”
Arteta has been encouraged by how his players reacted to Sunday’s defeat at the Etihad Stadium and says they took time to recharge and reflect in the aftermath.
“Immediately, the reaction in the dressing room I really liked because I could sense that they were even more convinced than before the game that we’re going to do it,” he said.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Manchester City’s match against Arsenal in the Premier League.
“It was a long week, the sun was shining. We used it to recharge, refresh… We talked about the team that we want to be.
“The analytical part was very short and at the start of the week. Afterwards, it was focus on us and the things we want to see and build again; that connection and clarity and the five games left. Newcastle is game one – go for it.
“I think we are privileged to be in the position we are. We value the position, now we need to grab it.”
Despite the result, Arsenal were praised for adopting a more attacking style against Manchester City which appeared to catch the new league leaders off guard.
Arteta faces a new dilemma knowing goal difference may end up proving crucial in the title race and believes his team selections will be his hardest job in the final weeks of the campaign as Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori prepare to return from injury.
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Michael Bridge discusses the title run-in for Arsenal and Manchester City and whether the momentum will shift if the Gunners win their next two games.
He said: “That’s one of the biggest headaches for any manager is to nail the line-up of how we start and how we’re going to finish the game.
“The game that we expect at the beginning and then how we can change it if the context is different. We have a very different profile of players which is good.
“Hopefully this weekend we’re going to have another two or three players back which is a massive boost for us and we’re looking forward to it.”
Martinelli reveals Arteta message after Man City defeat
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Saturday’s game, forward Gabriel Martinelli revealed Arteta’s message to his players after last weekend’s defeat at the Etihad – where he told them they “know how to get there” in the title race and finally end the 22-year wait to win the Premier League.
Martinelli said: “He said to have full belief in ourselves. He said we didn’t get to this point and playing good football because of other people, it’s because of us.
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Gabriel Martinelli sits down with Roman Kemp and reveals Mikel Arteta’s message to the Arsenal players after their loss to Manchester City
“It’s because of us and what we’ve been doing it the whole season. We know how to get there, we want to win the title and put our names in the history of the club.
“We’re going to try to do the same and in those five games, it’s going to be even more so.
“Everyone believes in themselves inside of this football club so we just have to show it on the pitch and give our best for this badge.”
Saliba: We are ready to ‘die’ for title
William Saliba says Arsenal are prepared to give everything in the final weeks of the season to end their 22-year wait for the title after what he describes as an undeserved defeat to Manchester City.
“We are in the big part of the season now,” he told Men In Blazers. “Of course the last few weeks were not so great for us but we learn from that and now we’re looking forward to play on Saturday and changing everything.
“We know what we have to do if we want to win that league. We have to start on Saturday. We have good pressure with us because when you play football, you want to play these kinds of games.
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William Saliba says Arsenal need to give ‘everything’ in final push to win the Premier League. Credit: Men in Blazers Media Network.
“When you lose a game, you’re not happy. We know that we didn’t deserve to lose the last game. But it’s life. It’s like this when you don’t kill your opponent.
“We learned a lot from that game and we know that everything is possible. We know we have to win every game now if we want to take this Premier League.
“We need to be calm. We need to die on the pitch as well because it’s now. We have to go. We need everyone, the fans, the team, the staff, everyone. We have to give everything and die on the pitch.
