Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal squad to embrace the roar and the intensity that come with competing at the highest levels of English football and European competition. He believes that by fully accepting the atmosphere surrounding Premier League and Champions League fixtures, his side can edge ever closer to clinching a first league crown in 22 years, a goal that could be realised with a win over Fulham in a match broadcast live on Sky Sports. The Gunners have the chance to pull six points clear of second‑placed Manchester City during Saturday’s "Saturday Night Football" showdown. However, City still hold two games in hand, with their next encounter against Everton slated for Monday night, also on Sky.
This scheduling quirk means the title race remains fluid, with every point potentially decisive. Earlier in the campaign Arsenal built a nine‑point cushion at the summit, but a dip in form during April allowed City to close the gap, turning the contest into what now feels like a genuine head‑to‑head battle.
Critics have been quick to suggest that the club is once again "bottling" a title opportunity after finishing runners‑up for three consecutive seasons. When pressed by Sky Sports on how he wants his players to approach these pivotal weeks, Arteta responded emphatically: "I tell them: love it." He explained that the path to winning both the Premier League and the Champions League inevitably involves setbacks.
"If you want to win the Premier League and want to win the Champions League, what's going to happen? You're going to lose a match and they're going to destroy you. That's it," he said.
"You want to be there? Love to be there. When you win, love it.
When you lose or you don't play your best – and there will be games where you lose the ball – love it. You will become better." Arteta stressed that there is no alternative if a team aspires to sit at the very top of the sport: "There's no other way. If you want to be at the very top, people are waiting there.
It's normal. It's natural. And there's only going to be one winner. The rest?
Are they not good enough? Come on, if somebody believes that then there's something wrong." When asked about handling the stress that comes with a tight title race, the Arsenal manager highlighted his selective approach to criticism. He said he only pays attention to feedback from individuals who genuinely want the best for the club, dismissing any other opinions as irrelevant.
"In my playing career I never read so much – especially from people who did not want the best for us," Arteta admitted. He continued, "I'm really curious. When somebody wants the best for me and has an opinion, I open myself up and be ruthless.
No pain and I gain a lot of things. But I really need to feel that the person wants the best for us, the team and the club.
If that's genuine, that's great. But if it's somebody who's there to damage you, with no purpose, then I don't think they're worth your time." The Premier League title chase 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 match against Fulham, convinced that a victory will bring the Gunners "very, very close" to the coveted trophy. Reflecting on the season’s progression, he likened each phase to a series of races.
"Against Newcastle there were five games to go – and that was game one," he said. "Now it's game two – and if you win that one, you really start to get very, very close to it. That's what is driving us. It's our own race.
It's a race of five races. First one is done, now it's time for the second one.
You just visualise the moment and you know what it means: you win another one and you're right in it." Arteta’s philosophy underscores a broader mindset that success is built on resilience, mental toughness, and an unflinching love for the sport’s highs and lows. By urging his players to savour every moment – whether it is the jubilation of a goal or the sting of a missed opportunity – he hopes to forge a squad capable of thriving under pressure. This mental approach, combined with tactical preparation, could be the catalyst that finally ends Arsenal’s long wait for a league title.
Fans can watch the decisive Arsenal versus Fulham encounter live on Sky Sports' Saturday Night Football, with kickoff scheduled for 5:30 pm. The match promises to be a defining moment in a season where every point matters, and where Arteta’s message of embracing the journey – victories and defeats alike – will be put to the ultimate test.