Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal to seize title chance with ‘everything to play for’

Mikel Arteta said the race for the Premier League title starts now as he told his Arsenal players to seize the opportunity with “everything to play for”.

Arsenal have been usurped at the top of the table for the first time since the beginning of October after Manchester City saw off Arteta’s side at the Etihad Stadium last weekend and then beat Burnley on Wednesday.

It leaves the Gunners facing another do-or-die week in their bid to prevent the unthinkable by ending the season empty-handed.

They first face Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening – one of five remaining matches in the league – before they head to Spain for the opening leg of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

And Arteta, who has received a major boost with Bukayo Saka in line to start against Newcastle after missing the past five games through injury, said: “The energy has raised, the belief has raised. The clarity of what we have to do, it cannot be better.

“Five games to go, four weeks. Two big competitions, and everything to play for. Tomorrow is game one. We are all in. Let’s go for it.

“If somebody would have told us at the beginning of the season this is where we would have been, we would have taken it. Win tomorrow, and then we will be much closer.

“You have to put it on the table, and you have to make it happen. We know what is at stake, how much we fought for this with our people, and now we have to do it on the pitch. Go and grab it.”

Arsenal would have moved 12 points clear at the top with a win against Bournemouth on April 12. But following their shock defeat to the Cherries, and ensuing loss against City, within the space of just 11 days they were removed at the top, albeit only on goals scored.

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