(Reuters) – Arsenal are still fired up after their defeat by rivals Manchester City, manager Mikel Arteta said, but added that his side clearly need to improve if they hope to keep their Premier League title hopes alive with a win over Chelsea on Tuesday.
Arsenal have relinquished their lead at the top of the standings following a run of four games without victory, including the 4-1 defeat by City and draws with Liverpool, West Ham United and Southampton.
Arsenal are in second place on 75 points, one behind leaders City who have a game in hand. They can briefly return to the top of the league with victory over Chelsea, who are 12th in the table following a disappointing campaign.
Asked about the title race, Arteta told reporters, “you have to recognise there is still work to do. We have to be humble, recognise what our weaknesses are and work to be better.
“But we also have many strengths and there are a lot of things we have done well over the last 10 months I think… Now it (the title race) is not in our hands anymore. What is in our hands is to try to win the games we have left and the rest is down to City,” the Spaniard added.
“I have not had to pick up the mood of the players, they keep the fire in the belly for tomorrow. It is very difficult to predict what they (Chelsea) are going to do but we have to prepare to win the game.”
Arteta said defender William Saliba, who has impressed this season but has not played in over a month due to a back injury, will not be available for selection, adding: “he has not improved this week at all”.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
