Arteta: We have kept ‘our box of dreams’ alive in title race

Arsenal opened a “box of dreams” by defeating Manchester United to take the Premier League title race to the final day of the season, according to a relieved Mikel Arteta.

Leandro Trossard’s 20th-minute goal proved enough for a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford but there were several nervy moments for the Gunners, in the second half in particular.

The result moved Arsenal back above Manchester City into top spot ahead of their final game at the Emirates against Everton this weekend, but Pep Guardiola’s team have a game in hand.

“I’m really, really happy, obviously,” said Arteta. “Everything is at stake, you have no margin for error since January, you have to keep winning and winning and winning. Today we have to play at a really special place that our history wasn’tveryoptimisticaboutwhatcould happen but we found a way to win it and that says a lot about how much the team wants it.

“You know what the consequences are to a draw. I felt the team was in a really good space before the game, we started well, we scored the goal, but that goal I think it touched something.

“We started to play too safe. I didn’t like it and we had to change that.”

To add extra intrigue, City’s game in hand tomorrow is against Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham, but Arteta will be extremely proud of his players no matter how this week pans out.

“My experience in this league the last 20 years is that any team can beat any team,” said the Gunners boss. “The honesty and the respect that everybody puts into the games is phenomenal.

“We know we need a result – we need to do our thing still in the last game – but today we really wanted to knock that door and open that box of dreams to live the last day of the season in front of our people.”

Injury-hit United’s only victory in their last eight league games came against bottom side Sheffield United, while they wentintothiscontestonthebackofMonday’s 4-0 hammering by Crystal Palace.

This was at least an improvement, and boss Erik ten Hag said: “I don’t like reactions, you have to be always there, you have to be always spot on when you are Man United, but, yeah, if it happens, you need a reaction and the players gave the reaction.”