"Have to be really optimistic" - Patrick Vieira urges Arsenal to not lose hope in title race in bid to catch PL rivals Manchester City
Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has urged the Gunners to remain optimistic in their Premier League title race despite trailing Manchester City by two points.
Mikel Arteta's side led the Premier League table for the majority of the campaign but now find themselves on the back foot with just three games remaining.
Arsenal drew three back-to-back games and then lost to Manchester City, which has seen them drop down to the second spot.
The north London giants are currently two points behind the Cityzens with just three games remaining. However, former Gunners skipper Patrick Vieira has urged his former club to remain hopeful because of Manchester City's Champions League commitments.
Pep Guardiola's side still have the all-important second leg of the Champions League semi-final vs Real Madrid in the midweek. Vieira told Sky Sports, as quoted by Metro:
"I think Arsenal still have to be really optimistic because they’re in the title race with a couple of games left. You have to believe – or make the players believe – that Man City will drop points. You see Man City are in the Champions League and their mind could still be on that Real Madrid game and the final."
The former invincible Premier League-winning skipper added:
"They will obviously want to win that Champions League and of course that will take up a lot of energy. The message to the Arsenal players has to be: Manchester City will drop points. Arsenal can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves, they need to win their remaining games and hope Man City drop points."
Vieira concluded:
"I believe that Arsenal have that in their minds and that’s why it’s about them winning from now until the end of the season and then crossing their fingers and hoping Man City drop points. Arsenal went through a difficult period and Man City are back top. But there’s still a few games left for things to change."
Manchester City will take on Everton on Sunday, May 14 and Arsenal will be up against Brighton & Hove Albion on the same day.
Manchester City monitoring Arsenal target who could cost over £100 million
Manchester City are reportedly monitoring West Ham United skipper Declan Rice, who has been widely linked with a move to Arsenal.
Rice has emerged as one of the most coveted players in Europe having entered the final 14 months of his deal at the London Stadium.
He has attracted interest from Premier League giants like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United of late.
However, as claimed by reliable journalist Pete O'Rourke in his column for Football Insider, Pep Guardiola is also a huge admirer of the England international. He wrote:
"Manchester City continue to monitor the situation of West Ham captain Declan Rice. He will cost a fee in the region of £100 million, and the Cityzens are one of the only sides capable of making that financial commitment. I'm told that Rice could come back on the radar at City despite Arsenal being in the box seat to do a summer deal."
Rice has been on the books of West Ham United since 2014 and made his debut for the Hammers back in 2017.
Since then, he has made 240 appearances for the east London side and is also capped 41 times by England.