Soccer

Arteta lauds Arsenal players in wake of Old Trafford victory as title decider goes to final day

Gunners hoping bitter rivals Tottenham can get a result against Manchester City on Tuesday and flip the advantage to north London outfit

Arsenal's Kai Havertz: 'I am going to be the biggest fan of Tottenham ever. Let’s hope for the best.' Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Sun May 12 2024 - 21:16

Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal players for “opening the box of dreams” of fighting for the title on the season’s final day by beating Manchester United and stated their fiercest rival, Tottenham Hotspur, can force a result against Manchester City on Tuesday to help their challenge.

Leandro Trossard’s 20th-minute goal took Arsenal top on 87 points, one ahead of City, whose game in hand is at Tottenham. If Ange Postecoglu’s team manage a draw against the champions Arsenal’s superior goal difference of three would give them the edge going into the last day. Whatever occurs on Tuesday their challenge will still be alive on the last day when City host West Ham and Arsenal are at home to Everton.

Areteta was asked if Spurs can do his team a favour. “Hopefully they can do it — any team can beat any team — we need a result,” he said. “We have opened that box of dreams to live the final day of the season in front of our people — we want to live that moment, it’s part of our journey, to live the occasion.

“Today we wanted to open that door. Let’s live one of the most beautiful days we’ll have lived together and see what happens. It’s football, there’s always possibilities.

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“We know the difficulty of it [winning at United] — that’s why we have only won twice in 20 years now [at Old Trafford]. We started well but the goal affected us I think in a negative way.”

Kai Havertz, who created Trossard’s winner, echoed his manager. “I am going to be the biggest fan of Tottenham ever. Let’s hope for the best,” he said.

United’s defeat was their ninth at home in all competitions — the most since the 1973-4 season when they were relegated. They are in eighth place, meaning City may need to be beaten in the FA Cup final to qualify for Europe. Erik ten Hag was asked if he could have done anything better himself this season.

“Any manager can but also I am two years here and I have one [only] time had a full group of players. You can’t progress a team in certain key areas with so many injuries, it’s like swimming with your hands on your back and you have to keep your head above the water level, that is what we try to do.

“We are still in a cup final. But if you want to progress a team you need fit players and you see our opponent today, they had only one not 100 per cent match-fit player and we had so many.”

He stated that no European football would be “very damaging”.

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