SON OF A GUN!
Mikel has faith despite Art-break of Spurs miss
MIKEL ARTETA spent part of the biggest week of his life watching his kids run round the room with their heads in their hands.
But even after the frustration of watching Tottenham captain Heungmin Son miss a chance to derail Premier League title rivals Manchester City, Arteta still believes it can finish in style.
The Arsenal manager admitted he was glued to Tottenham’s game with City on Tuesday and went on a roller coaster of emotions, particularly when Son went clean through but missed the chance to equalise.
Arteta said: “My kids were running around the table and going like this [head in hands]. You can imagine.
That is magic as well, to have the opportunity to be living it, next to your family and next to your colleagues. Being part of that.
“If I had to pick a player in the Premier League for that moment, it probably would be him.
“Michael Jordan explained it many times, how many times he had the winning shot. It was always him. Sometimes yes, sometimes he did not manage to do it. This is the beauty of sport, as well. What can you do?”
Arteta’s men must now defeat Everton tomorrow and pray that West Ham can succeed where Spurs failed – and stop Pep Guardiola’s City.
The Gunners boss (inset, with West Ham chief David Moyes) added: “The hope was there and it didn’t happen. Now we have to do our job, which is going to be tough because Everton are in a good moment. It’s one of the biggest weeks for many of us.
“Certainly now is the most important moment. I can’t wait for Sunday to be in front of us. I’m very optimistic for the possible outcome. We have to wish for the best and wish for West Ham to have a really good day and help us to fulfil our dream.”
It would take an eternal optimist to believe the Gunners can do it.
This will be the 10th season in which the Premier League has been decided on the final day and in the nine previous occasions the team that started top has ended up winning it.
But Arteta is refusing to give up hope and says he is as optimistic now as he was on day one of the season that Arsenal can end their 20-year wait for the title.
He said: “Jesus, we are in the last day of the season playing for the Premier League. The Premier League trophy hasn’t been at the Emirates yet and it was built almost 20 years ago.
“That’s a long, long time. We have to be very optimistic. It’s possible we have to do our duties and then we wait and see what happens.
“If I don’t believe today, then imagine how much I could believe in August.
“From August, with 38 games, against Man City – with what they’ve done in the last 12 or 13 years and what we’ve done in the last 20 years in the Premier League – we have zero chance then.
“We can’t start like this. We have to believe, that’s for sure.”
Arteta also holds out a belief that his former manager, ex-Everton boss Moyes, can help cause an upset at the Etihad.
The Spaniard added: “He’s been instrumental in my career. Not just as a footballer but as a person as well.
“If he could help us to fulfil our dream and my personal dream to win the Premier League, that will be unbelievable and he’ll always be in my memory.”
Meanwhile, Arteta says that he will only think about his own long-term future at the end of the season as his contract will have a year to run, but there’s no suggestion he is moving on.
He added: “Whenever the right time is, we will talk and sit down. What is important is to win now, to keep believing that we can continue to win.”