Mikel Arteta on Title Race: ‘We Have to Earn the Right to Win First’

Arteta says Arsenal are ‘enthusiastic and positive’ heading into final games

Arteta said scoring more goals would help if the title is decided on goal difference, but first Arsenal must win the game. 

Ben White is out long-term, leaving Arsenal short at right-back with Jurrien Timber also sidelined, Arteta confirmed...

Arsenal looked like their season was falling apart a month ago, but a string of good results has changed the mood completely. Mikel Arteta said on Thursday that his side are in the right frame of mind going into the last stretch.

A League Cup final defeat to Manchester City in March was followed by an FA Cup quarter-final exit to Southampton from the Championship, ending any hopes of a quadruple.

Arsenal also briefly lost top spot in the Premier League to City. Four wins in five across all competitions have put them back on top, with a two-point lead heading into the penultimate league game.

They’ve also booked a place in the Champions League final, where they’ll face holders Paris Saint-Germain.

“The team is really present. It's living in the moment. It's emotionally in a really good state. The energy level is the right one,” Arteta told reporters ahead of a home game against Burnley on Monday.

“We have most players available now. OK, we lost Ben White the other day, but ⁠the other ones are coming back as well.

“Everyone is so enthusiastic and so positive about the way we can finish the season.”

🔒 Two games left
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Arteta confirmed that Ben White is out long-term, which leaves Arsenal short at right-back with Jurrien Timber also unavailable.

“We need to look at alternatives. The two players we have are not available at the moment. So we need to look and do something else,” the Spanish manager added.

“The good thing is that we have experienced that all over the pitch this season, because when we have had issues, normally they've been in the same position as well, and we have still managed to find the right level of performance and consistency, so ‌I'm sure we will do that.”

Arsenal sit top of the table on 79 points from 36 matches, two clear of Manchester City. The gap is narrowed by City’s better goal difference.

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— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 14, 2026

When asked whether Arsenal would need to chase goals if the title came down to goal difference, Arteta replied: “First, we have to earn the right to win the game. Obviously, if you can make a difference with ⁠more goals, that's even better...

“But ⁠we know ideally that scoring ‌goals is going to be important.”