Granit Xhaka sends Arsenal team-mates order ahead of Premier League title run-in

11 March 2023 , 22:30

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Granit Xhaka sends Arsenal team-mates order ahead of Premier League title run-in

Granit Xhaka has ordered his Arsenal team-mates to embrace the pressure that comes with being top of the table as they prepare to enter the season’s squeaky bum time of the run-in.

The Gunners are five points clear of Manchester City with 12 games to go and the two clubs still have to face each other in what promises to be a huge game on April 26.

City have plenty of experience of successfully navigating the business end of a season but their rivals do not, and Arsenal must show their mettle and prove they will not wilt if they are to come out on top.

Xhaka said: “We have pressure every day. We know that on the top of the table the pressure is a little bit more but we have to enjoy it as well. It’s very important to enjoy it — we are where we are and let’s see how far we it can take it.

“We are all enjoying the season, not just myself but all the club, the fans, the players, the team, the staff are enjoying the moment, because we are there where we deserve the season to be.

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“Now we are looking forward to Fulham, they are a very dangerous, good team, it’s a derby as well, but we are looking forward to this game.”

Arsenal have shown their title credentials with last-gasp winners against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, but Xhaka would rather they did things a little more easily.

Granit Xhaka wants Arsenal's stars to embrace the pressure of the title race

He added: “For the fans, for the people in front of the TV, if we score every time in the last seconds the feelings are different. But we don’t want to make it so complicated always. We must try to win our games hopefully earlier, but it was a very, very good season so far.”

Xhaka insisted Arsenal have the strength in depth to compete on two fronts with potentially 18 games left between now and the Europa League final in Budapest on May 31. And he said his side are also developing the mental strength to cope at the top.

“You can see that every team is playing differently against us,” said the stand-in skipper in Lisbon. “They are dropping a lot, sometimes they are pressing us as well, but this is what happens when you are top of the league. There is much more pressure than before, for sure. But in general, I think we are doing well. I think there is a good mentality in the team and let’s try to keep that.”

Tom Hopkinson