Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta urges his team to maintain focus as they chase a historic Premier League and Champions League double.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged his players and supporters to remain fully engaged as the club targets an unprecedented Premier League and Champions League double. With a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table, the Gunners need three victories from their final three fixtures to secure their first league title in over two decades.
On Tuesday, Arteta's side reached their first Champions League final in 20 years with a 2-1 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid, setting up a clash with Paris St-Germain in Budapest on 30 May.
Arsenal's league campaign resumes on Sunday with a trip to face relegation-threatened West Ham at London Stadium. Burnley visit the Emirates on 18 May, followed by a final-day showdown with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on 24 May.
Despite the excitement following their midweek Champions League semi-final success, Arteta emphasized that his team's complete focus remains on securing three points against the Hammers, currently 18th and just one place above the drop zone.
The club's celebrations after the Atletico triumph sparked mixed responses, with former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney suggesting the scenes at Emirates Stadium were a little bit too much. Meanwhile, ex-Arsenal striker Ian Wright defended the players and fans, arguing that the fun police should not dampen their joy over the achievement.
Manchester City, who defeated Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final in March, still harbor hopes of a seventh league title. They face Brentford at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, followed by games against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Aston Villa, with the FA Cup final against Chelsea sandwiched between fixtures.
City's 11-game unbeaten run keeps them in contention, though a 3-3 draw with Everton on Monday briefly stalled their momentum. Jeremy Doku's late equalizer salvaged a point for Pep Guardiola's side after they had surrendered a 1-0 lead within 13 minutes of the second half.
Pep Guardiola acknowledged the importance of City's remaining home fixtures, stating: I love to play at home, what can I say? Winning our games is all that we can do. Three of their final four games take place at Etihad Stadium, where the atmosphere could prove decisive in their title pursuit.
West Ham face a daunting finale as they battle to avoid relegation, with three games remaining against Arsenal, Newcastle, and Leeds. Two wins and a draw in April temporarily boosted their chances, but a 3-0 defeat to Brentford and Tottenham's victory over Aston Villa have pushed them back into the drop zone.
Hammers manager Nuno Espirito Santo stressed the importance of their home advantage, saying: There is no hiding - being at home is good for us.
Asked about his future at West Ham, Nuno Espirito Santo, who signed a three-year deal in September, dismissed speculation, stating he does not have one second to think about next season and instead remains focused on the immediate challenges. I don't have enough energy to think about what's ahead. It's tomorrow, then tomorrow, day-by-day, he added.