Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insists he is only focusing on his own team's results as Newcastle United moved up to second in the Premier League. The Boxing Day win over Leicester saw Newcastle leapfrog Manchester City in the table before the champions face Leeds on Wednesday evening.
Arsenal have a seven-point cushion over Newcastle at present but with the two teams set to face off in the capital next week, a section of the Geordie faithful is starting to believe the top flight title is a possibility in 2023.
Arteta's side have looked good value for their comfortable position at the summit and the Spaniard says he won't be looking over his shoulder at how other sides fare in the coming weeks. “What I tell the players is we have to focus on us," he said after Arsenal's 3-1 win over West Ham this week.
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"We cannot control what the opponents are going to do, how good they are going to become or how many points they are going to get or drop.
"So we have to focus on our performance, what we are doing every day and what has brought us here. It is not a coincidence, so we need to keep doing what we are doing.”
Eddie Howe's side have the small matter of Leeds United at home before travelling to north London after the turn of the year. The Toon boss is refusing to put a target on this season in public but the feeling in the dressing room is one of positivity at present.
"I have no problems with the supporters dreaming and talking and speculating about what we can achieve and no doubt the media will, I can't control that," Howe said after the Boxing Day rout of Leicester.
"The only think we need to be mindful of internally is just focus on what we can control and our own thoughts and actions and how we train and how we prepare. And not look too far ahead and not listen to too much news and media and just focus on our training and make sure we focus on it game by game."
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