‘If I have to pick the players up, I should stay at home’ – Mikel Arteta after defeat to Manchester City | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta insists he does not need to lift the mood of his players despite suffering a big blow in the Premier League title race with defeat at Manchester City.

Erling Haaland scored a second-half winner after Kai Havertz’ equaliser to move City just three points behind Arsenal and with a game in hand on the league leaders.

But Arteta says the focus is firmly back on the final five games of the season with the Premier League title still within reach.

“We lost an opportunity today but we have the biggest one now in the next five games,” he said.

On whether he needs to pick the players up, he added: “If I have to pick the players up to win the Premier League with five games to go, in our hands, and semi-finals of the Champions League, I think I should be at home.

“It’s not needed and it’s never been needed, even in difficult moments.

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“I believe today, on Wednesday, a week ago, because I see them every day and I know the level that we have. But if they need to be more convinced, I think today they are.

“It’s a new league now. They have a game in hand, we have three more points of advantage and five games to play. Everything is still to play for so we know how much we want it. We’re not going to stop and we’re going to go again.”

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