Arteta hoping for ´something beautiful´ as Arsenal target title

Mikel Arteta retains faith that “something beautiful” could occur on Sunday to make Arsenal Premier League champions, despite Manchester City being heavy favourites.

After City’s 2-0 win over Tottenham on Tuesday, Arsenal need Pep Guardiola’s champions to drop points at home to West Ham to have any chance of leapfrogging them.

The Gunners must also beat Everton, whose 14 final-day losses are the most of any team in Premier League history.

Ahead of Sunday’s fixtures, the Opta supercomputer gives Arsenal just a 15.9 per cent chance of becoming champions to City’s 84.1 per cent, but Arteta will not give up hope.

Asked how he will assess Arsenal’s season if they fall short, Arteta said on Friday: “I can’t think like this.

“We have to win the game and we hope something beautiful is going to happen. If I don’t believe today, imagine how much I could believe in August!

After Manchester City won 2-0 at Tottenham last night, the Opta supercomputer makes them HUGE favourites to win the title.https://t.co/6x1sJpgjg4 pic.twitter.com/A0tjsLmfSU

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) May 15, 2024

“From August, 38 games against Man City after what they’ve done in 12 or 13 years, and what we’ve done in that time… we can’t think like this.”

Arsenal have won their final game of the Premier League season more often than any other club, doing so on 22 occasions including the last 12 in a row.

Though many have already written the Gunners off, Arteta says simply ensuring a Premier League trophy will be present at the Emirates Stadium on the final day represents a major success.

“We are on the last day of the season playing for the Premier League trophy, which has not been at the Emirates since it was built 20 years ago,” Arteta said.

“The trophy is going to be there, it’s possible. We have to do our duty, then hope what happens. Let’s wish that’s the case.”

Will Arsenal end their 20-year wait for a Premier League title on Sunday? pic.twitter.com/XmB1LgTarx

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 17, 2024