Mikel Arteta: Arsenal aims for victory against Man City, Bukayo Saka unavailable
Mikel Arteta has pledged that Arsenal will aim for victory in the Premier League title clash against Manchester City on Sunday.
The Gunners head to the Etihad Stadium with a six-point advantage over City, who have a match in hand, as they pursue their first league title in 22 years.
Arsenal has not secured a win at City since January 2015, and a draw would keep the title race firmly in their control with five matches remaining.
Nevertheless, Arteta stated: “I won’t spend a moment discussing that. We prepare for every match with the intention to win, which is why we are in this position, and we will continue to approach it the same way.”
“We have earned the right to be here, to compete, and to have the chance to win on Sunday, arguably against the best team and manager this league has ever known.
“That is a significant privilege, and we are eager to play the match, preparing to win it, without a doubt, and we view this as a major opportunity for us.”
Guardiola acknowledged that if City were to lose on Sunday, the title race would be “over,” but when asked if he perceived the game in that light, Arteta replied: “I don’t know, there are six matches remaining. It’s a crucial one for both teams, and it will [influence] the balance somewhat, but winning a match in the Premier League is challenging for everyone, so after this one, they will still face some tough games, as will we, and we will have to wait and see what happens.”
“Winning at this stage brings you a bit closer. If we win the first leg in the Champions League semifinal, we will be closer. That’s certain, and that’s why we aim to win the game on Sunday. That’s clear.”
Arteta confirmed that Bukayo Saka will be unavailable due to an Achilles injury, while he is “hopeful” that Noni Madueke will recover from a knee issue. JurriΓ«n Timber, Martin Γdegaard, and Riccardo Calafiori are still under evaluation.
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The last encounter between Arsenal and City at the Etihad, in September 2024, saw City equalize in stoppage time against ten-man Arsenal to secure a 2-2 draw, after which Erling Haaland advised Arteta to “stay humble” during a post-match exchange.
Arteta asserted that he has not discussed the incident with Haaland or City manager Pep Guardiola but remarked: “Don’t worry. The microphones are coming into football; I don’t know when. That’s one of the nicest things you can be told.”
“It’s clearly an intensely competitive match against top teams vying for the Premier League title. It doesn’t get better than this, and that competition will undoubtedly be evident on the pitch.”
