Mikel Arteta makes Arsenal demand as Gunners set Premier League title target | OneFootball

Arsenal face Manchester City in huge title clash this weekend

Mikel Arteta demanded "pure fire" from his Arsenal players as he targets a dream end to the season.

Arsenal travel to Manchester City on Sunday when defeat would see the lead at the top of the table cut to three points, with City also having a game in hand.

Before that trip to the Etihad Stadium, the Gunners host Sporting on Wednesday night. Arteta's side hold a 1-0 lead on aggregate in the quarter-final tie.

The pressure has been piled on after the recent poor run of results, but Arteta called for his players to throw themselves at the final weeks of the season without any hesitation.

The Spaniard paused for several seconds as he was asked what he wanted from his side, before issuing a passionate response.

"No fear, pure fire," Arteta said.

"That's it. Me, the first one. Pure fire. That's what I want to see on the players, on the people, on myself. That's it.

"Go for it because the opportunity is unbelievable. We are in April, we have an incredible opportunity ahead of us. Let's confront it, let's go for it by really putting absolutely everything into it.

Arteta then doubled down on that when discussing his overriding emotion at the start of a potentially season-defining week.

He shouted: "Fire! I'm on fire. That's it. Nothing else.

"I'm dreaming so much. I've done so much to be in this position because I know how this club was. I've done so much against anything that this is beauty.

"I just see beauty, opportunity, and I want to get it done for all these people that have been in this journey with us.

"They deserve it, because [they have] been unbelievable. That's what has driven me every single day. I have zero fear.

"Fear I had when, ‘Oh, if we don't get this done, this club, I don't know what is going to happen'. That was fear.

“Now, there's no fear. It's just purpose, fire, direction and conviction that we're going to do it."

Arsenal are attempting to end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, and are four matches away from a first Champions League success.

The Gunners have never reached consecutive semi-finals in the competition and have made significant strides since Arteta took charge, when it took three years to even qualify.

"What I love as well about where we are is that there is no satisfaction about it," the Spaniard said.

"You haven't asked me any questions like, 'congratulations, you're going to be in the Champions League next year'.

"Now it's like we take it for granted. I am assuming for the next 20 years of this club we're going to be taking it for granted that you are fighting for titles in April, that's OK.

"But it's difficult to do it. I do value a lot what the players are doing."