Managers react as Man City beat Arsenal in top of table clash
Arsenal Football Newsletter
Mikel Arteta demanded his Arsenal players go "all in" ahead of what he is viewing as the first game of the Premier League run-in.
The Gunners host Newcastle on Saturday evening when they will have the chance to move three points clear of Manchester City for the time being.
As it stands, Arsenal and City are level on points, wins, draws, defeats and goal difference with just five matches of the season remaining.
It is not long ago that victory over Bournemouth would have extended Arsenal's advantage at the top to 12 points, but it is now a straight shootout to the finish.
Arteta has declared it is now a "new league" and he is viewing Newcastle's visit as the first match of that.
"The energy raised, the belief raised, I think the clarity of what we have to do, it cannot be better," Arteta said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"Five games to go. Tomorrow, game one, all in. Let's go for it."
Asked whether reframing this as a new league was necessary as a mental reset after a run of one win in six matches, Arteta replied: "Well it's a reality as well and the context of the two teams and where we are in the table and the amount of games that are left, I think was the right way for me to express it.
"That's the way I feel. And tomorrow is game one. That's it."
Arsenal were beaten by Man City last weekend
Man City are now the betting favourites for the Premier League title but Opta's supercomputer continues to side with Arsenal.
The Gunners were given a 73% chance of winning the league even after losing to City last weekend.
Pep Guardiola's side beat Burnley in midweek to move to the top of the table but the supercomputer only dropped the probability of Arsenal claiming to title to 65%.
Arteta is putting his faith in his squad to deliver rather than taking comfort from those simulations.
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"Not in the computer - I have belief in our players, in our people, and the willingness that we have to achieve what we want," Arteta said.
"Everything to win. We are in the position that we are, playing the two biggest competitions that we had this season, the position that we are in."