PREMIER LEAGUE

If you want to be champions you have to beat City - Arteta

Arsenal has come this far in the race for the Premier League title, and now they have one more big challenge before they can win it - beat Manchester City.

Arsenal is not kidding themselves about the game coming up tomorrow. They know that there’s a Premier League title hanging in the balance and that in order to get it, they’ll have to get past Manchester City first.

Arteta ready for tough night

Arsenal is just five points ahead of Manchester City in the standings, but a win would put them up by eight and a loss by just two, and a draw would leave too much of a chance for City to steal the lead as well. What they need tomorrow, is a win.

“It’s going to be a tough night, and challenging, yes,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “But the opportunity is incredible for us.”

Arsenal is going into the game having already lost to City twice this season - once in the Premier League (3-1) and once in the FA Cup (1-0). This time, they’re out not just for revenge, but for the championship.

“We knew from the beginning that if you want to win the Premier League, you have to go to Spurs, and you have to beat them. You have to go to Chelsea, and you have to beat them. You have to go away from home, and you have to beat them,” said Arteta. “That’s what we’ve been doing and that’s why we’re here. And now we have to go to City and we have to beat them.”

The game kicks off from City’s home at Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET.