Arsenal embrace ‘privilege’ no pressure from Man City Premier League tilt | Soccer News

Arsenal travel to Manchester City knowing their Premier League could be wiped out by next Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to accept the “huge privilege” of facing Manchester City in a potentially decisive clash in the Premier League title race.

Arteta’s side are six points ahead of second-placed City ahead of their huge clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

But City have a game in hand against the Gunners and a win for Pep Guardiola’s men would tip the balance of power in their favor heading into the final weeks of the season.

Adding to the drama of the do-or-die battle, Arsenal are enduring an untimely loss of form after losing three of their last five games in all competitions.

They were beaten by City in the League Cup final, suffered a shock FA Cup quarter-final defeat at second-tier Southampton and slumped to a home league defeat to Bournemouth.

The Gunners were well below their best eleven again on Wednesday as they edged past Sporting Lisbon and drew 0-0 to secure a 1-0 aggregate win in the Champions League quarter-finals.

But, despite criticism of Arsenal’s perceived mental weakness under pressure, Arteta is convinced his players have the right character to take a big step towards winning the Premier League.

“We have earned the right to be in this position and to be challenging, with an opportunity to win against probably the best team and best manager this league has ever seen,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.

“It’s a great privilege. We see it as a great opportunity for us. Who is more privileged to be in this position?

“I don’t know how Pep and Man City feel, but I feel very privileged to have earned the right to be in this position to play such a big and wonderful game.”

Arsenal are chasing a first English title since 2004 after finishing as runners-up the last three seasons.

In 2023 and 2024 they squandered significant leads which allowed City to take them to the title.

But Arteta knows that beating City this weekend will put Arsenal in a virtually unassailable position of strength.

“If you win at this stage, then you’re a little bit closer,” he said.

“There are six games to go. It’s obviously a very important one for both teams.

“It will tip the balance a little bit, but to win a game in the Premier League is so difficult for everyone.”

Arsenal ‘set to win’ against Man City

Arteta challenged Arsenal to learn from the pain of their League Cup defeat to City in a rematch with even higher stakes.

“The pain we felt afterwards, (we have to) use it in the right way on Sunday,” he said. “To learn from that game and the things we want to change for the next one.”

Arteta refused to deny a report that a fire had been lit at the club’s training ground this week in a motivational stunt after telling his team to play with “pure fire” against Sporting.

“Every game we use different themes to try to prepare for the game in the best possible way, and it depends on what we do,” he said.

“The best is the players’ initiative; they are the ones I love the most.”

Arsenal have failed to win any of their last 10 league games at the Etihad Stadium, losing seven of those meetings in a huge run that stretches back to 2015.

Arteta dismissed suggestions he could tell Arsenal to play for a draw to maintain their six-point lead over City.

“We prepare every game to win, that’s why we are where we are, and we will continue to do the same,” he said.