Arsenal: Mikel Arteta 'would have taken' current position at beginning of the season

Mikel Arteta insists he would have signed up to be in Arsenal’s current position in the title race if he was offered it at the start of the season.

Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League table with two games left to play and sit one point ahead of Manchester City before facing Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side, however, have a game in hand - away at Tottenham - and will be crowned champions for the fourth time in a row if they win all three of their remaining top-flight fixtures.

Arteta, though, is refusing to give up hope that City may yet slip up and insists he would have been happy being in this position with two games to go if offered the chance at the start of the season.

“I would take that pen and sign it,” replied Arteta, when asked if someone said you could be in the title race with two games to go.

“My brain tells me when talking to the players that we are lifting the Premier League.

“That’s what my brain is doing at the moment and I want to follow my brain and my gut. This is the way I want everybody to think as well. Hopefully we can achieve it.

“It leaves you a very clear situation. You have to focus and be determined to do what you have to do. That’s what we are doing.”

The Gunners need Man City to drop points in their final three games, starting at Fulham on Saturday.

Marco Silva’s players were spotted flying kites this week, sparking fear among Arsenal fans on social media that they were ‘on the beach’ - but Arteta is not worried.

“The power of team bonding, nobody knows what it is, but sometimes you get amazing results with it,” said Arteta.

“I’ve been in teams struggling to win a game and we go out for dinner and then you go on an unbelievable run. I’m positive that that’s what’s gonna happen to Fulham.

“We’ve done a few [team-bonding sessions]. We’ve done trips with David Moyes [at Everton]. He used to take us around the US. It’s one of the best I’ve ever had in my life.”