‘Nothing can stop us, …. ten finals to go’ Bukayo Saka on Arsenal title chances as other players start to dream
After creating an eight-point lead at the top, Arsenal is now expressing confidence in their ability to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004.
Despite this, their manager, Mikel Arteta, has always been careful and avoided discussing the team’s chances of winning the championship to prevent inflating expectations among Emirates supporters.
With a significant gap between Arsenal and Manchester City, it has become challenging for Arteta to downplay their chances of winning the Premier League.
The team’s recent impressive win against Crystal Palace has contributed to the excitement among players, exemplified by Oleksandr Zinchenko’s celebratory interaction with fans outside the stadium after the 4-1 victory. Arsenal now has 69 points, which is the same number of points they earned throughout the entire last season.
City’s participation in the Champions League and FA Cup could result in them playing up to 18 more matches, whereas Arsenal’s elimination from the Europa League allows them to concentrate solely on their remaining 10 Premier League games. After having knee surgery, Gabriel Jesus, 25, is eagerly anticipating the end of the season.
The ex-City man said: “I am ready for the best part of the season, the time when you have to play the big deciding games.”
Gabriel Jesus, who joined a new team last summer after winning four title races in five years with his previous team at Etihad, is an experienced player who knows what he’s talking about.
The fact that Gabriel Jesus has fully recovered from his injury has inspired his younger team-mates. Bukayo Saka, who is 21 years old, stated after the win against Palace that their team is unstoppable and they can end their 19-year long wait for a league title.
He said: “We don’t fear anyone. You can see the way we play, even when City came here.
“The prize at the end is worth giving everything for. We have the belief and the desire that we want to do something special this year.
“And nothing can stop us, especially not being tired.
“We are not going to pretend we don’t know who we are playing next because we have ten finals to go.”
Arsenal acknowledges that their upcoming matches against Liverpool, City, and Newcastle won’t be easy. However, there is a sense of confidence within Arteta’s team, especially after winning six consecutive Premier League matches. This confidence reminds some of the 2004 Invincibles team that had club legends such as Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
Asked if he is dreaming of lifting the Premier League trophy, captain Martin Odegaard, 24, said: “It’s been my dream since I was a baby.
“But the main thing is to stay calm and to keep pushing every day to make sure we improve. We’re where we want to be in the table.”
Even Granit Xhaka, 30, admitted: “We don’t yet speak about winning the title.
“But when you are this many points clear of second place, why not?
“I’m a big fan of dreaming in life but this is not a dream. This is something we can really achieve.”
The return of Gabriel Jesus, a player with a history of winning, has been a significant factor in Arsenal’s newfound belief.
But the striker said: “At Arsenal, no one is the main man. Everyone’s just as important.
“When I got injured, we were sure Eddie Nketiah could come in and help us. And he did. Then Leo Trossard came in and he has helped us as well.
“Everyone is together and to be champions we need more than just 11 players. When you have a good relationship with your team-mates, everything on the pitch works well.
“That’s why we are top of the league. We are playing good football and we understand each other. It’s good to be a family.”
‘Nothing can stop us, …. ten finals to go’ Bukayo Saka on Arsenal title chances as other players start to dream
