Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he is dreaming about his players lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of the season, ahead of this Sunday’s battle against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Spaniard, who took over at the Emirates Stadium in 2019, says he has visualised the Gunners lifting the title, which will be their first in two decades.
“My brain always took me to the place where we are lifting the Premier League [trophy]”, he said. “That’s what my brain is doing at the moment.
“So I just follow my brain and my gut and this is how I feel. And this is as well, the way that I want everybody to think and hopefully we can achieve it.”
Arsenal currently boasts a one-point lead at the top of the table over Manchester City, who have played one fewer game than the Gunners. The two sides are locked in a battle for the title, but Arteta added that he isn’t overly worried about the possibility of City dropping points in their final three games of the season.
“That is something that is not in our hands,” the 42-year-old stated. I’m telling you how I’m feeling, the thoughts that come into my head and what is driving my energy and my purpose right now is that. That ambition and that objective that is so good.”
“We are in the journey to try to catch them and try to be better than them, which is the aim and what we have to do. And it is an inspiration to have this level of opposition. And that’s what makes you better, always when there’s someone challenging you to go further and further.”
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The Gunners have not enjoyed much success at Old Trafford, a ground where they have gotten just one win in the Premier League since 2006, and Arteta believes his side “has to be at their best” if they are to continue putting pressure on City for the title.
“Every game has a different context. We know the difficulty is there in our history. When you look at what we’ve done over there. So, we’re going to have to be at our best to earn the right to win the game.”
“Obviously, the difficulty there, the quality of the opposition, the quality of the individuals, the manager, it brings a lot of challenges. So, as I said, we’ve been in very difficult stadiums this season, we’ve done very well, and, hopefully we can do the same on Sunday.”
Arsenal has to win their remaining league games, starting with the Red Devils, before a home fixture against Sean Dyche’s Everton on the final weekend of the season.
City, on the other hand, have three matches to go, starting with a crucial tie at Craven Cottage against Fulham in the early kickoff this Saturday. They will then head to North London to face Tottenham Hotspur before ending the campaign at Etihad against West Ham United.
