Mikel Arteta confessed it "feels great" to hear Arsenal fans singing his name after his side made another leap forward in pursuit of Champions League qualification.
The Gunners defeated Aston Villa 1-0 on Saturday afternoon thanks to a first-half goal from Bukayo Saka. The result increased their stranglehold on fourth place in the Premier League table, with a four-point lead and a game in hand over Manchester United.
Finishing in the top four seemed like a pipe dream for Arsenal fans in the early stages of the season after successive losses to Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City. However, their form drastically improved and they have won six of their last seven top-flight games to take control of the competitive race for fourth.
The travelling supporters at Villa Park left Arteta in no doubt about their delight as players and staff applauded them after the full-time whistle. A bellowing chant - which also references Kieran Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli - could be heard with the lyrics: "We've got Super Mik Arteta, he knows exactly what we need, Kieran at the back, Gabi in attack, Arsenal on the way to Champions League!"
Arsenal have not played in Europe's premier club competition since the 2016/17 season when they were managed by Arsene Wenger, but Arteta is poised to end their wait and admitted he is a fan of the new chant.
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"That's why it gives probably sense to everything we do," the Spaniard said. "If we can make them happy, everything makes sense… personally, it feels great."
Arteta also hailed the "character, courage and quality" of his players in a glowing verdict after the match, adding: "You can see the connection they have. It is phenomenal to watch. If you want to be a top team, you have to win home and away. We are doing that consistently and we have to continue. We really want [the top four] and we are going to give it a go."
Arteta will hope Arsenal do not lose any momentum during the international break, after which they return to action with a trip across London to face Crystal Palace.
As well as United, the Gunners' rivals for a top-four finish are West Ham and Tottenham, who occupy sixth and seventh respectively and face off in the Premier League on Sunday evening. Wolves were also in the hunt for Champions League qualification but a downturn in form has hampered their hopes.
