Mikel Arteta admitted he does not know how much of Manchester City’s game against Bournemouth he will be able to watch after Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Arsenal beat Burnley 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night, with Kai Havertz’s first-half header enough to secure another crucial victory in the title race.
The result means City must beat Bournemouth to keep the title race alive until the final day. If Pep Guardiola’s side fail to win, Arsenal will be crowned Premier League champions before they travel to Crystal Palace.
Arteta had been asked before the Burnley match whether he would watch City’s next game, but his focus then was on making sure Arsenal did their own job first. With that complete, the Arsenal manager accepted he would be in front of the television.
“I will be there in front of the TV, but I don’t know how much I’m going to be able to watch it,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “I think that’s the reality.”
The Arsenal boss was then asked whether he would watch with the players. Arteta said he had no plan to turn it into a squad event, instead choosing to follow it at home.
“No, I haven’t planned to do that,” he said. “I’m planning to watch it with my family and again, I don’t know for how long.”
The Gunners have done everything they can to force City into that position. Since the 2-2 draw with Guardiola’s side, Arteta’s team have won four straight league matches to keep control of the race.
The Arsenal manager described that run as a case of taking care of what was in their own hands, while also acknowledging that the situation could now change before the final day.
“We’ve done what is in our hands,” Arteta said. “Since the Man City game came away, we said it is five games and it was in our hand. We’ve done four. There is one to go and let’s see if something beautiful happens tomorrow night.”
Bournemouth will arrive at the Etihad with their own motivation, still fighting for European qualification after an impressive season under Andoni Iraola. Arteta was asked whether he planned to send Iraola a message before the game, but said Bournemouth should need no extra encouragement.
“I don’t think he needs [that],” Arteta said. “What he’s done in that football club, the transformation and what they are playing for, I don’t think they need anything else.”
Arsenal’s equation is now simple. They will either win the title through a Bournemouth result at Manchester City, or go to Selhurst Park on the final day knowing victory over Crystal Palace will finish the job.