Mikel Arteta could not hide a massive grin when asked about Arsenal’s opportunity to go four points clear of Manchester City on Friday.
The Arsenal boss thanked a reporter for a ‘great question’ as he faced the media ahead of Saturday’s trip to Wolves.
The Gunners currently sit second in the table, two points behind leaders City, with just six top-flight fixtures remaining.
Arsenal may find themselves four points clear at the top should they beat Wolves and then pick up three points in the clash against Chelsea on Tuesday.
That’s because City do not play their next Premier League game until Thursday – with Pep Guardiola’s side in FA Cup action this weekend instead.
‘Great question!’ Arteta said with a huge smile when asked about Arsenal’s chance to go four points clear. ‘A very positive question… Keep going!’
Arteta was then quizzed about keeping the pressure on City and said: ‘That will be the consequence of that.
‘If we win, we will put pressure [on Man City] for sure. Because we would be at the top and then they would have to win. But we have to do our duty.’
Meanwhile, Arteta has aimed a subtle dig at negative reporting over his team following their back-to-back defeats to Aston Villa and Bayern Munich.
‘If I take a newspaper and show it to my son, after Brighton and after Bayern Munich about the same team, he would think it was three years [apart],’ he added.
‘That’s the reality of what it is. But we have to live with that.’
Arteta has provided two key reasons for Arsenal’s dip in performances as he blamed himself as well as the quality of their opposition.
‘Sometimes it’s the opponent,’ Arteta said. ‘The opponent’s play very good and you have to congratulate them. Sometimes it will be my fault as well, not changing anything or making the right call.’
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