Mikel Arteta is pleased Arsenal have met the target of securing Champions League football for next season after their 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Sunday, Afrosport reports.
The win not only guarantees them a third consecutive season among Europe’s elite clubs but also a second-place finish in the Premier League, with five points separating them and the Magpies.
Arteta was also pleased that his team were able to finish ahead of all the sides still in the hunt to secure a top five finish: Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
“That’s what we wanted to achieve [Champions League qualification],” he said. “We had a few objectives, finishing second, finishing the Champions League spots and finishing the season in front of our people in the right manner with the right results. Two things have been achieved.”
Arteta further added: “We have one more game to play and to finish it in the right way, and winning in Southampton is going to be really important again and then go on holidays, have time to reset and bring the temperature down a little bit.
“It’s been a long, long season, and we need to start to think and reflect on everything that we have planned is the right one. Start to make some steps, some action and come back here fresh on day one, ready to go again.”
Finishing strongly at home
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Reflecting on the season so far, Arteta stated: “I would leave that for the summer. I’ve done it in the dressing room, and for me it’s very clear. But I’m there every day. I know what we’ve been through for nine and a half months.
“I know what we’ve done. I know very well the history of the Premier League and the teams that have been in 30% of the situations that we’ve been in.
“They have collapsed, completely collapsed, and we haven’t. I really value that because that shows that we have built something that is very, very sustainable and consistent, regardless of people who don’t like to see it.”
Arsenal will finish second in the Premier League for the third season in a row. Their maximum haul of 74 points will, however, be their lowest in this spell, having finished with 84 and 89 points during the 2022-23 and 2023-34 campaigns, respectively.
