Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal squad to fully embrace the roar and the stress that come with competing in the Premier League and the Champions League, insisting that such an attitude could bring the Gunners within striking distance of their first league crown in 22 years if they overcome Fulham in the Sky Sports broadcast. A victory on Saturday’s Saturday Night Football fixture would see Arsenal potentially pull six points ahead of second‑placed Manchester City, although the defending champions still hold two games in hand, beginning with an encounter against Everton on Monday night, also shown live on Sky. Earlier in the campaign Arsenal enjoyed a nine‑point cushion at the top of the table, but a dip in form during April allowed City to close the gap, turning the title chase into a genuine head‑to‑head battle.
Critics have been quick to suggest that Arsenal are once again "bottling" a title challenge after finishing runners‑up for three consecutive seasons. When pressed by Sky Sports about how he wants his players to behave during these decisive weeks, Arteta replied unequivocally: "I tell them to love it." "If you aim to win the Premier League and the Champions League, you have to accept that you will lose a match and that critics will tear you apart. That's the reality." He went on to stress the importance of enjoying every moment of the journey, whether it ends in celebration or disappointment.
"Do you want to be there? Then love being there. When you win, relish it.
When you lose or have an off‑day – and there will be games where you misplace the ball – love that too. It will make you stronger." According to Arteta, there is no alternative path to the summit. "If you want to sit at the very top, people will be waiting for you.
That's normal, that's natural." He added a final, stark reminder: "In the end there will be only one champion. The rest?
They simply aren't good enough. If anyone believes otherwise, something is wrong with that thinking." When asked about how he copes with the strain of a title race, the Arsenal boss explained that he filters criticism carefully, listening only to those who genuinely have the club’s best interests at heart.
"During my playing days I never read much, especially from people who didn’t want the best for us," Arteta said. "I’m curious: when someone who truly cares offers an opinion, I open up and am ruthless – there’s no pain, only growth.
But I need to be convinced that the person’s intention is sincere and aimed at helping the team and the club. If it’s just someone looking to cause damage with no purpose, then that voice isn’t worth my time." The Premier League title race is now extraordinarily tight, and if both Arsenal and City win their remaining fixtures the championship will be decided on goal difference.
Arteta, however, has placed particular emphasis on Saturday’s clash with Fulham, believing that a win would bring the Gunners "very, very close" to the trophy. "Against Newcastle there were five games left – that was game one," he reflected. "Now we’re on game two – and if we win this one, we really start to feel within reach of the prize.
That’s what drives us." He likened the season to a series of five mini‑races. "The first race is over, now it’s time for the second. You picture the moment, you understand its significance: win another and you’re right in the mix." Arteta’s message is clear: the pressure, the scrutiny, the highs and the lows are all part of the same process.
By learning to love each facet, the team can develop resilience, improve performance, and keep the dream of ending a 22‑year wait for the league title alive. The upcoming match against Fulham therefore represents more than three points; it is a litmus test for the mentality Arteta has been instilling throughout the campaign.
The Gunners will look to turn that love for the challenge into a decisive victory, pushing them ever closer to the summit of English football.