The Premier League title race goes down to the wire on Sunday afternoon, as the final day of top-tier action will crown the champions of the 2023/24 campaign. Despite a record-breaking season for Arsenal Football Club, as they register their highest win tally in the Premier League (27), the Gunners do not enter the final day with the league in their hands.
As Manchester City host West Ham United in the league-wide 4pm time slot on Sunday afternoon, the Gunners now rely on their London rivals to garner a point over the Citizens in order to have any watch over the title.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn what arrives as a momentous occasion for Arsenal, Arteta maintained his upmost excitement for Sunday’s meeting with Everton at Emirates Stadium.
‘It is one of the biggest weeks for many of us. It’s the most important moment. I’m really excited, can’t wait for Sunday to be in front of us, and obviously very optimistic with the possible outcome.’
‘The hope is there. We have to do our job, which is going to be tough because Everton are in a really good moment. So we are going to have to prove again that we can be better than the opponent and win the game. Then we have to wish for the best and we have to wish for West Ham to have a really good day to help us to fulfil our dream.’
The Premier League trophy could occupy a spot at Emirates Stadium for the first time in history since the club’s league feat at Highbury in the Invincibles era of 2003/04. Arteta expressed that ‘the Premier League trophy hasn’t been in Emirates Stadium, and the stadium was built almost twenty years ago.’
‘That’s a long, long time. So we have to be very optimistic. The trophy is going to be there, and it’s possible. We have to do our duties, and then we have to wait and see what happens.’
Embed from Getty ImagesArteta was firm in his statement that there has been no communication between himself and Pep Guardiola ahead of the league’s final day, despite their close relationship during Arteta’s stint with the Citizens. In additional crossroads, Arteta faces his former club in Everton on Sunday, while his former manager, David Moyes, also has a say in the fate of the Premier League.
Speaking with sentimentality, Arteta reflected: ‘That’s the beauty! In this industry you come across people that you have experienced in your life, that they’ve been super important. Now you need something from them, and hopefully it will happen.’
Despite what has been a large improvement in the final stretch compared to last year’s fall off, Arteta expressed that his squad are still ‘here to win’ come Sunday.
‘The only thing we discuss is, okay, we have to give ourselves the opportunity to live a beautiful day on Sunday. The dream is still alive, it is possible – it’s football. Once we are there, we just have to live the moment. The moment is going to be to play like every single week. For that dream to happen, we have to win. And then we have to hope again for West Ham to help us achieve that dream.’
All final fixtures of the 2023/24 Premier League season are set to kick off on Sunday at 16:00 GMT.