Arteta tells Arsenal to 'love the noise' as Gunners face Fulham in title run-in

Key facts

• Arsenal have four Premier League games remaining and a maximum of two Champions League matches.
• A win against Fulham on Saturday could put Arsenal six points clear of Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
• Arsenal led the Premier League by nine points earlier this season before a dip in form allowed City to close the gap.
• Arteta said Martin Odegaard is the captain 'for a reason,' praising his personality, aura, and ability to raise standards.
• The Premier League retrospectively stated that Gabriel should have been sent off against Manchester City.
• Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring a penalty.
• The Gunners beat Newcastle United 1-0 last week to return to the top of the Premier League table.

Arteta demands embrace of pressure ahead of Fulham clash

Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal players to 'love' the noise and pressure of the Premier League and Champions League finales, insisting his team can get 'very close' to winning a first top-flight title in 22 years by beating Fulham on Saturday. The Gunners could go six points clear of second-placed Manchester City on Saturday Night Football, though Pep Guardiola's side will have two games in hand, starting against Everton on Monday. Arsenal had a nine-point lead at one stage of the season, but a dip in form during April brought City back into what is effectively a neck-and-neck contest.

Arteta: 'If you want to win, love the noise'

Asked by Sky Sports how he wants his players to act in these crucial weeks, Arteta said: 'I tell them: love it. If you want to win the Premier League and want to win the Champions League, what's going to happen? You're going to lose a match and they're going to destroy you. That's it. You want to be there? Love to be there. When you win, love it. When you lose or you don't play your best — and there's going to be games where you lose the ball — love it. You will become better.' He added: 'There's no other way. If you want to be at the very top, people are waiting there. It's normal. It's natural. And there's only going to be one winner. The rest? Are they not good enough? Come on, if somebody believes that then there's something wrong.'

Odegaard's captaincy and the need for bravery

In the embargoed section of his pre-Fulham press conference, Arteta spoke about Martin Odegaard's importance. 'He is the captain for a reason and he has a personality, an aura, a way to conduct and raise the standards that is very rare to see, and he does it in any circumstances,' Arteta said. 'He is a player who brings so much energy to the team as well because he is always at it, he is always so focused, very demanding. I am glad to hear that you like the way he talks because when he talks, he talks. He is not someone who needs to be talking constantly because it is more about actions than talking. When he does talk, I think it is very impactful.' On the need for bravery in the final matches, Arteta said: 'We know that, we know what is at stake. We need to push it and everybody has to lead himself and take ownership of the moment because the impact that you can have now is going to define the history of the club, and that is a very powerful thing to have.'

Quick turnaround and focus on Fulham

Arteta addressed the tight turnaround time between games, noting that preparation is key. 'I think it comes down to preparation. We have done it for nine and a half months now so we are used to that. And we know that we can only focus on one game and that game has enough difficulties and challenges that thinking in a different way is not going to be helpful at all.' He revealed that the players' reaction immediately after the Atletico Madrid match was 'now it is Fulham, now it is Fulham, now it is Fulham, immediately in the dressing room.' Arteta added that after the Fulham game, there will be more separation between matches, allowing time to prepare for Atletico Madrid.

Gabriel red card controversy and Brighton's MMA consultant

When asked about the Premier League's retrospective statement that Gabriel should have been sent off against Manchester City, Arteta responded: 'After the red card of Kuzanov? No, I don't feel lucky at it.' On Brighton consulting an MMA fighter to help with set pieces, Arteta said that similar practices have been done for decades. 'Probably where we are going is that if we look 30, 40, 50 years ago in the Premier League or in football, this has already been done. In a different way, maybe it wasn't in the media, but it's been done. I know stories about 20, 30 years ago, things that used to be done. And if they are done today, it looks like some innovation and sometimes it's not. The same with tactics, we do that, this is genius, we've done that. 50 years ago somebody already did it, so we are recycling the machine.'

Champions League semi-final and Premier League title race

Arsenal drew 1-1 away to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring an emphatic penalty. The Gunners now face a quick turnaround before taking on Fulham at Emirates Stadium, a week on from their 1-0 win over Newcastle United which sent them back to the top of the Premier League. With four league games left and a maximum of two European matches, every result carries immense weight. Many have claimed Arsenal are 'bottling' another title race after three straight second-placed finishes, but Arteta's message is clear: embrace the challenge.

What comes next: Fulham and beyond

Arsenal's first game of May sees them take on Fulham in a London derby at Emirates Stadium, live on Sky Sports with kick-off at 5.30pm. A win would put them six points clear of Manchester City, though City have two games in hand. After Fulham, Arsenal will have more separation between matches, allowing them to prepare for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. The title race remains neck-and-neck, and Arteta's call for his players to 'love the noise' will be tested in the coming weeks.

The bottom line

• Arteta emphasizes embracing pressure, urging players to 'love the noise' of title and Champions League run-ins.
• A win over Fulham could put Arsenal six points clear of Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
• Arteta praises Martin Odegaard's captaincy, calling his impact 'very rare' and 'impactful.'
• The Premier League retrospectively said Gabriel should have been sent off against Manchester City, but Arteta dismissed feeling 'lucky.'
• Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg, with a quick turnaround to face Fulham.
• The title race is neck-and-neck after Arsenal's nine-point lead evaporated in April.