Micah Richards believes that nerves and the pressure of getting over the line could still cost Arsenal the Premier League title.
Standing in the way of the North London club from a first Premier League title in 22 years are Burnley and Crystal Palace.
👀 Fill in the blank: Arsenal are taking _ points from the final two Premier League matches…
On paper, these are very much two winnable games for the North London club; however, having to contend with the nerves of getting the job done could still see them throw it away.
Richards has already been through a similar situation with Manchester City, where the team almost tossed away the title by dropping points against Queens Park Rangers.
Now, the Premier League winner has warned Mikel Arteta’s team about how they will need to deal with the pressure in the final two matches.
Micah Richards on Arsenal dealing with nerves
Micah Richards has warned Arsenal that the pressure of winning a first Premier League title could make games against Crystal Palace and Burnley that little bit tougher.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been in this position many a time in the past, whereas Arsenal under Arteta are yet to get over the line, and that could make the difference.
When City were within touching distance of a first Premier League title, they nearly tossed it all away at home to QPR, and Richards has spoken about how nerves can affect even the best players.
The former Man City defender told Sky Sports: “I think it will go down to the last game of the season. Everyone knows the famous Aguero goal, but everyone talks about nerves and confidence and all that sort of thing.
“I just remember being in the dressing room before the game, and I could feel the tension. Normally, you have leaders in a dressing room where you look to them, and if they’re cool, it makes you feel better.
“At times in a dressing room, it wasn’t like that. There was a nervous feeling, and that’s why when we talk about can Man City catch Arsenal (it’s about dealing with the pressure)…
🏆👀 I am feeling __% confident that Arsenal will win the Premier League title this season…
“We’d never won it before and were up against uh Sir Alex Ferguson, the great Man United team, and before the game I remember looking to Vincent Kompany, and he’s normally just in the zone, but he was fidgeting.
“Arsenal are going through that, and there’ll be things that they’ve had along the season where it gets you up, it gets you down.
“But even with the experienced players that we had, there were always nerves, and that’s why if it goes down to the last game of the season, anything can happen.”
Arteta will need to have his players fully focused on themselves, as if they play their own game against Burnley and Palace, the title is theirs.
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