Arsenal focus on Burnley as Arteta eyes final home step
Arsenal focus on Burnley as Arteta eyes final home step Arteta gave updates on Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, but repeatedly stressed that Arsenal are thinking only about Monday night and not what Manchester City are doing. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are focused only on beating Burnley as they prepare for their final Premier League home game of the season, with the manager urging his players to take “another opportunity” to move closer to the title. Arsenal go into Monday night’s game at Emirates Stadium knowing the pressure and the prize are now impossible to separate, but Arteta insisted there has been no shift in approach after Manchester City ’s win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.
Asked about that result, his answer was blunt. “Nothing; we focus just on the things that are in our hands, which is preparing the best possible way to beat Burnley, that’s it,” he said. That message ran through his press conference.
Arsenal’s position at the top of the table has brought wider discussion about title permutations, goal difference and what could follow if results go their way, but Arteta repeatedly brought the conversation back to Burnley. “We prefer just to beat Burnley, that’s it. ” Simple.
Asked again about possible plans for Tuesday, when Man City travel to Bournemouth knowing that, if Arsenal have beaten Burnley, any dropped points would hand the title to the Gunners, he said, “Again, I’m sorry, we’re not thinking about that type of thing, the only focus is Burnley and winning the game. That’s the thing that we can control. ” Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images Arteta believes his squad are handling the moment well, with the team emotionally settled and determined to finish the season properly.
The injury situation, however, is not straightforward . Ben White has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury against West Ham , while Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori remain uncertain. “The team is really present, it’s just living the moment, it’s emotionally in a really good state, I think, it’s the right one,” Arteta said.
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