Loss in the North London derby against Tottenham added some trouble for Arteta’s side.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says they would’ve taken a fifth-place finish at the start of the season.
Arteta knows Arsenal still have their destiny in their own hands before their important encounter against Newcastle. Their last game will be against Everton.
Loss in the North London derby against Tottenham added some trouble for the Gunners and they can’t drop points. Arteta’s men need to hold their nerves in the final two games.
Arteta says they will go all out for the win against the Magpies because they are not prepared to settle for fifth having got themselves so close to a Champions League place.
When asked if they would be happy with fifth at the start of the season, Arteta said: “Absolutely, Yes. It is a good place to be.
“But as I said, It is in our hands we have done a lot in the past few months to be in this position so let’s go for it. We want to be playing in the Champions League. And that’s the end, we’ve come so far, as I said, it’s in our hands and we want to now capitalise on that, and the excitement and the opportunities there, and we will really want to go for it.
“It’s not pressure, it’s excitement and, and this is what we have built over the last few months. And as I said, top four is the target. Now, it’s in our hands, and we want to deliver that.”
Arteta also replied to Tottenham manager Antonio Conte that he “complains too much”.
Arteta said: “What I have tried to do I think in three years here is not make any complaints. I have no complaint and I didn’t complain on Thursday. I just said I could not give a clear assessment on what I thought about the game. And that’s it.
“Whatever we do we will try to defend the club in the right way, like we have always tried to do. The other night I tried to do it as well. That was not trying to affect anybody.
“But I was being clear and honest. I think that is my job and my responsibility when I talk on behalf of the club to express how we feel. And if I cannot do it, I prefer not to.”
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