Home Arsenal Arteta: Games in hand are ‘not important’ in fight to ‘go above United’
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted his sides games in hand on Manchester United are not important after closing the gap to just one point with a win over Wolves.
Bruno Lage’s side took an early lead through Hwang Hee-Chan but Arsenal managed to grab the three points thanks to a strike from substitute Nicolas Pepe and a stoppage time own goal from Jose Sa.
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Arsenal have two games in hand on United, who currently sit fourth, but Arteta has told his side to take one game at a time.
Speaking to Amazon Prime after the win, the Spaniard said: “Well we have the possibility obviously to go above [United], which is what we want.
“But we have to go game by game, now it’s Watford, and the two games in hand really are not important.
“We still have 14 games to play and we have to make the most out of them. That’s the objective.”
Sa’s own goal was a result of a shot at goal from Arsenal captain Alexandre Lacazette, who had been wasteful earlier in the contest.
NEVER. GIVE. UP 👊 pic.twitter.com/pVZCCyrN4J
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 24, 2022
However, Arteta was delighted for his skipper and praised his all round game.
“I’m really happy for Laca,” he added.
“He’s worked so hard and some days he’s been getting stick, and his personal situation, and his contract and everything.
“I’m extremely happy with him and proud of him because he keeps fighting.
“He puts the team and the team-mates in front of everyone else and I’m so happy for that.”
Arteta also admitted his side’s aims this season have changed, even revealing they were fighting relegation at the start of the season.
“Yes very much because after three defeats in the first three games we had to avoid relegation,” he conceded.
“That was the first thing we had to and then just go game by game, don’t lose sight and direction, and the aims and objectives that we have as a team and be consistent with the decisions, with the way you prepare the team, and just believe that result will come.”