Arteta believes Norwich will beat Spurs to hand Arsenal fourth spot

Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Arsenal at the London Stadium, in London on May 1, 2022.

Mikel
Arteta says he is growing in belief that Norwich could
yet do Arsenal a huge favour against Tottenham on
the final day of the season, believing it is still “very possible” that his
side will be playing Champions League football next season.

Arteta cut a despondent figure at St. James’
Park on Monday night, following a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle that saw his side
surrender the initiative in the top-four race.

The Gunners need to win against Everton at the
Emirates on Sunday and hope already relegated Norwich can beat Spurs at Carrow
Road in order to usurp their north London rivals.

“[It is] very possible and looking back, I
have been back a few years and I’ve seen examples of teams playing in the last
game of the season and things happening,” Arteta said. “The closer the game is,
[the more] I am hopeful.”

Arsenal’s chances of
at least keeping up their end of the bargain by beating Everton may well have
been boosted after the Toffees secured their own Premier League survival with a
remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 on Thursday night.

Arteta
said he had been watching his former club in that game, with the dramatic
nature of Everton’s unlikely fightback giving him further belief that Norwich
could similarly defy the odds when they host Spurs on Sunday.

“I was watching yesterday
and that gives me more encouragement about what could happen on the last day at
Norwich because this happens only in this league,” he added.

“It’s what makes this league
such an incredible league because in many other countries when there is nothing
to play for you don’t see those kind of performances. We are hoping something
special can happen.”

Even a
fifth-placed finish would represent significant progress for the Gunners, who
finished eighth in each of the past two seasons, and have enjoyed a season of
progress under Arteta, not only in terms of results but also in uniting a club
and fanbase that has often appeared divided since the latter part of Arsene
Wenger’s reign.

But while the Spaniard is aware
of those signs of development, he reiterated his stance that the long-term aim
is not merely to return the Gunners to the Champions League, but to the top of
English football.

“It
is [progress] because we have created expectations that this club deserves and
this club has to have but in the last two matches we haven’t been able to
fulfil those expectations,” he added. 

“Overall looking back at where we were,
you have to be clear as well with what we had to do and we are clear this is not
where we want to be. We want to be in a completely different position,
challenging the top teams and that is the aim.

This is not going to stop here,
there is another step but this was very much necessary. Not only about where we
are in the league table, we had much deeper issues at the club than the league
table in my opinion that now have been resolved and now they look very strong
and we have real strong foundations to build what we want to do.”