Every word Mikel Arteta said on title race, Spurs vs Man City, Man United win and Saka injury
How happy are you with the result?
Really, really happy obviously. Everything is at stake, we have (had) no margin for error since January. We have to keep winning and winning and winning in any context. Today we had to play in a really special place that our history was not very optimistic about what could happen but we found a way to win it. That says a lot about how much the team wants it.
Were the team nervous?
Yes, because at the end you know what the consequences are to draw. When you are there and you really want it I felt the team in a really good head space before the game. We started the game well and we scored the goal but I think that goal touched something, especially with the duties and the things we have to do in ball possession. We started to play too safe, not respecting any structure and not with enough purpose.
I did not like it and we had to change it but we struggled to do it. If you don't have that element to be more dominant and more present in the game you have to be extraordinarily competitive and do the defensive things right. I thought we were excellent at that today.
Do you see Spurs as able to get a result against City?
My experience in this league is that any team can beat any team. I lived it various scenarios in the last day when a lot of teams have necessities. The margin of respect that everybody puts in the games is phenomenal. We know we need a result. We need to do our own thing still in the last game. But today, we wanted to open that box of dreams to live the last day of the season in front of our people with the opportunity to win the Premier League. That’s something we’re going to live together and I’m so pleased we’re gonna do it with these players and staff.
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What does the last week of the season look like for you now?
They’re all buzzing there. We really wanted to live that moment. We said ‘now we have to earn the right to go to the last day and live that moment’. That’s part of our journey to have a big chance of winning the Premier League. We wanted to experience that. We’re going to have a normal preparation week to try to be in the best space to compete and beat Everton and then live the occasion as well.
How is it emotionally to win every week and still wait for a slip up?
Winning I think encourages you to win more and to be better equipped and better prepared and have more confidence to win in different contexts and grind results in different ways. Somebody told me it’s 27 wins in the Premier League. It’s the most in the history of this club in 130 years. That’s not progress, that’s history. That’s very difficult to do, especially in the league where we are playing now. Big compliment to all the players and staff for what they’ve done.
Will you do anything extra on if it comes down to goal difference?
I don’t know. We will prepare the week, the game and all the possible scenarios we can face on the day for sure.
Kai Havertz said he’s gonna be the biggest Tottenham fan ever on Tuesday. Do you feel the same?
We know we need it. They are a really difficult team to play against. We suffered that a few weeks ago when we played them. So hopefully they can do it.
City can feel pressure like any other team right?
I don’t know. That’s a question for them. We have to do our thing and wait.
How impressed are you with the journey the club has been on since you joined?
I don’t know. We are now in the moment where our focus is on one thing, which is to win. We will analyse the season and get everything together, try to understand what is happening and try to be better.
