Arteta urges Arsenal to seize the moment

Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal team to seize the moment with just three matches remaining as they battle to win their first Premier League title for 20 years. The Gunners, hosting Bournemouth today, have 80 points – one clear of defending champions Manchester City, who have the advantage of a game in hand.

Arsenal’s match is the early kick-off, giving them the potential to put pressure on closest rivals City, who are at home to Wolves later in the day. Arteta, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, said the energy in his squad was “really good” after three straight wins, hailing their greater maturity after last season’s collapse in the title run-in.

Arsenal led for the bulk of the 2022/23 campaign before stumbling badly as City won a third straight title. “I think the team is more mature,” said Arteta. “Obviously the health and condition of the squad is in a much better place right now and all these factors I think contribute to being in a better position.”

Arteta urged his players to embrace what is likely to be an electric atmosphere at the Emirates in the clash against mid-table Bournemouth. “Just focus and put all your energy in finding that determination and willingness to do our best to earn the right to win games,” he said. “The first one is Bournemouth, it’s at home, it’s going to be an unbelievable atmosphere again towards the game. Be present and be in the moment and let’s see what happens.”

The Arsenal manager, who said all his players were fit, hinted Jurrien Timber could feature in the run-in even though the defender has not played since August following a serious knee injury on his Premier League debut.

“You see how commanding he is, his leadership, his quality and the rest they have to lift it up and they start to demand more from each other and they look at each other and say ‘I better be good because I want to keep playing’ and this is very positive for the squad,” said Arteta. “We’re not going to know (whether he is ready to make an impact) until we throw him in. It’s tricky because there are only three games to go and he has missed eight months of football.”

City must be perfect to win

League, says Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has played down suggestions that Manchester City’s greater experience will be pivotal as his side go head to head with Arsenal for the title, saying his side must be perfect to come out on top.

Arsenal have a chance to put pressure on City as they host Bournemouth in the early kick-off on Saturday. City host Wolves at the Etihad later in the day, desperate to avoid a repeat of the 2-1 defeat they suffered at Molineux earlier this season.

Guardiola’s men, unbeaten in 31 matches in all competitions, are hot favourites to win the Premier League for the sixth time in seven seasons but the City manager is taking nothing for granted. He was asked at Friday’s press conference whether his team’s title-winning nous would prove pivotal.

“I would love (that), but I don’t know, I don’t have an answer to this question,” he said. “I would love to think ‘yes’ but we have to prove it tomorrow against Wolves and in the next games. We know that we have to win all 12 points, otherwise it will be difficult because Arsenal are so strong, so consistent and it’s difficult to see them dropping points.”

Guardiola said top-scorer Erling Haaland was fit enough to start after coming on as a substitute against Nottingham Forest last weekend and scoring in a 2-0 win. “When everybody is fit they have to be ready,” he said.

“I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do tomorrow. Of course I have little doubts for one or two players in the line-up but the rest the game-plan, what I want to do, I had time to think about it and see the last games from Wolves, but he’s ready.”

Guardiola confirmed that Ruben Dias and Phil Foden, who both missed the Forest match through illness, would be available, along with goalkeeper Ederson.

FixturesToday (1400 GMT unless stated): Arsenal v Bournemouth (1130), Brentford v Fulham, Burnley v Newcastle, Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest, Manchester City v Wolves (1630)

Tomorrow (1300 unless stated): Brighton v Aston Villa, Chelsea v West Ham, Liverpool v Tottenham (1530)

Monday (1900): Crystal Palace v Manchester United

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