Press conference

Every word from Arteta's post-Man Utd presser

Mikel Arteta during the game against Manchester United

Mikel Arteta had plenty to smile about after his side delivered yet another away day win in the Premier League on Sunday. 

We completed the league double over Manchester United for the first time since 2007, and also recorded our 27th Premier League win of the season - a new club record. 

After the game the boss was asked about the performance, nerves, the state of play in the title race and the final day of the season. Here's a full transcript of the post-match presser. 

on what the performance says about the team:
 I'm really, really happy, obviously, everything is at stake. We have had no margin for errors since January. We have to keep winning and winning and winning in any context. And today we have to play in a really special place. Our history wasn't very optimistic about what could happen, but we found a way to win it, and that says about how much the team wants it.

on whether he was nervous to see the result out:
Yes, because at the end, you know that a draw, what the consequences are after that. And when you are there and you really want it, and I felt the team was in a really good space before the game. We started the game well, we scored the goal. But that goal, I think it touched something, especially with the duties and the things that we have to do in both possessions. And we started to play too safe, not respecting any structure and knowing our purpose, and I didn't like it. I would have to change that, and when we wanted to change it, we struggled to do it. But if you don't have that element of the game to be more dominant and be more present in the game, you have to be extraordinary at competing and doing the defensive things right, And after all that, we were excellent.

on if Tottenham will be able to get a result against Manchester City:
My experience in this league in the last 20 years is that any team can beat any team. And I lived it in various scenarios on the last day when a lot of teams had necessities, although not much, and the honesty and 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 want to really knock that door and open that box of dreams to leave the last and the final day of the season in front of our people with the opportunity to win the Premier League. And that's something that we're going to do together. And I'm so pleased that we're going to be with these players and staff.

on what's at stake for the final day:
They are all buzzing. We really wanted to live that moment, so we say, okay, now we have to earn the right to go to the last day and live that moment. That is part of our journey and to have a big chance of winning the Premier League and we're going to experience that. We're going to have a normal preparation, like every week, to try to be in the best space to compete and try to beat Everton and then live the occasion as well.
 
on our remarkable record since the turn of the year:
I think it encourages you to win more and to be better equipped and prepared, and more confidence to win in different contexts and to bring results in different ways. And they just mentioned, it's 27 wins in the Premier League. It's the most in the history of this football club in 130 years. That's not progress, that's history, and that's very, very difficult to do, especially in the league that we are playing now. Big compliment to all the players and the staff for what they have done.

on if we're preparing for the title race to go down to goal difference:
No, no. We’ll prepare now for the week, the game, all the possible scenarios that we can face on the day, that’s for sure.

on if the boss will be supporting Tottenham on Tuesday:
We know we need it, and they are a really difficult team to play against. We just suffered that a few weeks ago when we played them, so hopefully they can do it.

on if Bukayo Saka is okay:
Yeah, he should be fine.

on if Manchester City will feel pressure:
I don’t know, it’s a question for them. We have to do our thing and wait.

on being proud about breaking points and goals records in the Premier League this season:
I don’t know, we are now in the moment. The focus is just on what we need to do, and we’ll analyse the season when we finish, and get everything, all the information together and try to understand why it’s happening and try to be better for sure.

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