Mikel Arteta has called on his squad to take full responsibility for the Premier League title chase and to "get the job done" after a brief period of rest and reflection following the loss to Manchester City. The Gunners slipped from the summit after City’s 1-0 triumph at Burnley on Wednesday, yet both clubs remain level on points with five matches left, meaning the championship is still very much up for grabs. Arteta described the final five‑game stretch as "a new league" and highlighted the upcoming Saturday night clash with Newcastle at the Emirates as the first test of this fresh phase.
He believes his side can rebound from consecutive setbacks against Bournemouth and City, emphasizing the need for confidence, trust, and clarity about what the team wants to achieve on the pitch. "It's important to feel the confidence, the trust and clarity on what we want to deliver on the pitch," he told Sky Sports. He added, "But now is a moment for all of us to take ownership. We can talk all day, but we need to go on that pitch and we need to get the job done.
We have a lot of players who stand up and are very influential, and the younger ones and those without much experience also have personality to step up in this moment." Arteta praised the reaction in the dressing room after the Etihad defeat, noting that his players used the time to recharge, reflect, and reaffirm their collective belief. "Immediately, the reaction in the dressing room I really liked because I could sense that they were even more convinced than before the game that we're going to do it," he said. He described the week after the loss as a period of rejuvenation: "It was a long week, the sun was shining.
We used it to recharge, refresh… We talked about the team that we want to be. The analytical part was very short and at the start of the week.
Afterwards, it was focus on us and the things we want to see and build again; that connection and clarity and the five games left. Newcastle is game one – go for it." The manager stressed how privileged he feels to be in such a position and urged his players to seize the opportunity: "I think we are privileged to be in the position we are.
We value the position, now we need to grab it." Despite the defeat, Arsenal received commendation for adopting a more attacking approach against City, which seemed to catch the newly crowned league leaders off‑balance. Arteta acknowledged that goal difference could become a decisive factor and that squad selection will be his toughest challenge in the closing weeks, especially with Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori edging back from injury.
"That's one of the biggest headaches for any manager – to nail the line‑up of how we start and how we're going to finish the game. The game we expect at the beginning and then how we can change it if the context is different.
We have a very different profile of players which is good. Hopefully this weekend we're going to have another two or three players back which is a massive boost for us and we're looking forward to it," he explained. Forward Gabriel Martinelli echoed Arteta’s message, recalling the manager’s words after the Etihad loss: the team knows how to reach the summit and end the 22‑year wait for a league crown. "He said to have full belief in ourselves.
He said we didn't get to this point and playing good football because of other people, it's because of us. It's because of us and what we've been doing the whole season. We know how to get there, we want to win the title and put our names in the history of the club.
We're going to try to do the same and in those five games, it's going to be even more so. Everyone believes in themselves inside of this football club so we just have to show it on the pitch and give our best for this badge," Martinelli told Sky Sports. Defender William Saliba also stressed the squad’s determination to give everything in the final stretch, describing the recent loss to City as undeserved but a learning experience. "We are in the big part of the season now.
Of course the last few weeks were not so great for us but we learn from that and now we're looking forward to play on Saturday and changing everything. We know what we have to do if we want to win that league. We have to start on Saturday. We have good pressure with us because when you play football, you want to play these kinds of games.
When you lose a game, you're not happy. We know that we didn't deserve to lose the last game. But it's life. It's like this when you don't kill your opponent.
We learned a lot from that game and we know that everything is possible. We know we have to win every game now if we want to take this Premier League.
We need to be calm. We need to die on the pitch as well because it's now.
We have to go. We need everyone, the fans, the team, the staff, everyone. We have to give everything and die on the pitch," Saliba said. Looking ahead, Arsenal must navigate a congested schedule that includes fixtures against Newcastle, Brighton, Manchester United, Chelsea and a final showdown with Liverpool.
Each match carries equal weight, and the margin for error is vanishingly small. The manager’s emphasis on mental resilience, squad rotation, and tactical flexibility will be crucial as the team strives to maintain momentum while managing fatigue. In summary, Arteta’s message is clear: ownership, belief, and relentless effort are the pillars upon which Arsenal hope to clinch the title. The players have shown flashes of attacking brilliance and the capacity to bounce back after setbacks.
With key players returning, a renewed sense of purpose, and five decisive games on the horizon, the Gunners are poised to fight for the crown and potentially end a 22‑year Premier League drought.