13 May 2023 , 21:30
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Mikel Arteta has vowed that Arsenal will dig as deep as they can to land the Premier League crown.
And the former Everton midfielder is hoping his old club can do him and his Gunners a massive favour in their pursuit of the title by beating Manchester City on Sunday.
Arteta, whose side host top-seven challengers Brighton, said: “We are going to continue to dig — dig, dig, dig, dig — and maybe the prize is there.
“We don’t know if it’s there [points one way] or there [points another] but we are going to continue to dig just in case it is where we can get to and make sure that we can do our best.”
Arsenal go into today’s action a point behind leaders City, but having played one more game than Pep Guardiola and Co. Arteta added: “The stakes are huge and we are full of enthusiasm to get that prize in the best possible way.
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“To do that, we have to win our matches and the first one is Brighton, and they are fighting for something very important. That is what is going to make it really complicated.”
There is hope, though, that Sean Dyche’s Everton could complicate matters for City, especially after they thumped Brighton themselves 5-1 on Monday. Dyche’s first game in charge also saw them beat Arsenal, so they already have form this season for winning against the side which is top of the table.
Mikel Arteta is hoping Everton can do Arsenal a huge favour in the race for the Premier League title (Getty Images)Arteta, who spent six-and-a-half years at Goodison Park as a player, said: “Obviously, they are playing for their life right now and you could see that against Brighton.
“Sean has instilled that belief again and that cohesion around the team and the fans to create something special. As a huge Everton fan, I want the best for them and that’s not going to change this weekend.
“The way they are competing every single week, they had some very good results and some others that deserved more. They have been really, really competitive in the last few months.”
Thomas Partey is confident Arsenal can still beat any side on their day (YouTube/Arsenal)Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey knows he and his pals will be in a battle today. He said: “You can see Brighton play good football and their mentality is strong. They never give up. They always want the ball. It will be a very difficult game.”
Brighton need to bounce back after their hammering by Everton. Asked if they will have something to prove after that result, Partey added: “When a team has that mentality, it is hard to stop them.
“But I believe in our qualities and in every player, and that when you win games you have more of a chance of winning the next one because your confidence level is high.
“We have to try to be ourselves and play the Arsenal way — when we do that, we are able to beat any team. Every team has its weaknesses and we have to try to exploit that. We have to try to play as we know how to play and we will be able to beat them.”