Mikel Arteta guarantees he avoids ‘painful’ Arsenal memories after crucial West Ham win

Using last year’s disappointment as a motivator, Mikel Arteta and his team are slowly seeing the rewards as they move closer to Champions League football after yet another crucial win

Mikel Arteta and its players will be relieved after completing the following work a 2-1 win over west ham to climb to fourth place and above again Tottenham in their quest to return to the Champions League.

arsenal recorded their third straight win after Rob Holding opened the scoring and went home Bukayo Saka Corner which was later nullified by a Jarrod Bowen strike. But the Gunners remained focused and determined, fighting hard to come out on top as Gabriel headed home in the second.

With just four games left before the end of the regular season, the Gunners sit fourth, two points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham. As things stand, Arteta’s side will play Champions League football next season but the big question remains: can they hang on to it?

Last year, the north London side failed to qualify for any form of European football for the first time in 25 years. The Spain coach, who played at the Emirates between 2011 and 2016 and used to playing on Europe’s biggest stages, had to settle for less.

Arteta admitted how hard he’s been following European competitions without being there with Arsenal. “It hurts a lot,” he said in September. “In the last few days it hurt to turn on the TV and see those teams there and not see Arsenal there, it was painful.”

But one thing is for sure, the Emirates have used that as a motivator this season. As Arteta put it earlier in the season: “I don’t want to sit out of these competitions with Arsenal. We have the focus and the trigger is that.”

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Their next challenge for the Gunners is at home in Leeds next weekend. It promises to be a tough game against a team desperate to add points to the board and avoid a potential drop. Jesse Marsch’s side currently sit in 17th place with 34 points, just two points behind the relegation zone everton won hard-fought 1-0 Chelsea On Sunday.

However, the Gunners will only have to rely on themselves if they are to continue their three-game winning streak. Spurs show signs of regaining their form with a 3-1 win leicester There is no room for slip-ups on Sunday, especially considering they will be a palatable affair on Thursday 12th May in a game that will be crucial for both sides and even for the neutrals, will travel to the Spurs.

The result will potentially determine the outcome of the two teams in terms of which side will compete in the Champions League and Europa League next year. A trip to newcastle then follows just four days later at home against Everton before the final day of the season.

Arsenal have the advantage of being leaders. You have the shape. Now all they have to do is execute.