LONDON – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has no plans to use the 2021-22 season’s damaging defeat at Newcastle United as motivation when he takes his Premier League title chasers to St James’ Park on Sunday.

This term’s long-time leaders are four points adrift of current table-toppers Manchester City, who beat Leeds 2-1 on Saturday, while the Magpies are pushing for a third-place finish of their own.

The corresponding 2021-22 fixture came in the penultimate game of the campaign, with a 2-0 win for Newcastle effectively ending the Gunners’ hopes of Champions League qualification.

Arteta, as shown in the Amazon All or Nothing: Arsenal documentary, gave his players a huge dressing down after the game at St James’ Park but has no plans to use that match to inspire his side this weekend.

“It’s a very different game,” he said on Friday.

“Different players, different game. We’re going to have to play better than last year, that’s for sure, because we know at home they’ve been really good.

“I don’t think there’s too much to motivate from there. There are a lot of things that we have to do better than that day. The group of players and the way they’re playing there are different.”

The Spanish boss added there was still an outside chance defender William Saliba could feature in the final four games of the run-in, despite his back injury ruling him out of the Newcastle game.

The France international has missed the last seven games as Arsenal have faltered in pursuit of the title following a run of one win in five matches.

The Gunners have conceded in each of the games he has missed with a back problem.

Arteta said last week Saliba’s recovery was taking longer than expected.

“Not a lot of progress,” he said on Friday, when asked for an update on Saliba’s fitness.

“He’s feeling better every day but he’s not been able to have any activity around the first team, so we don’t expect him to be with us (at Newcastle).

“It’s about the healing process, pain-wise and the things he can do off the pitch. He’s in a good place, but we have to build that capacity with the right load so that he’s able to contribute to the team.”

Arteta, pressed on whether Arsenal should accept Saliba was out for the season, added: “We are not there yet because we’re always hopeful and the players are pushing to play. If that’s the case, we’ll announce it, but hopefully not.”

Meanwhile, Magpies boss Eddie Howe said his side must focus on themselves as they look to navigate a complicated run-in and seal a return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.

Newcastle are third in the standings with 65 points, two ahead of fourth-placed Manchester United and six in front of Liverpool, who are fifth having played one more game.

The Magpies are aiming to finish in the top four but face a tricky climax to the season, with in-form Brighton & Hove Albion and relegation-battling Leeds United and Leicester City plus Chelsea and second-placed Arsenal in their remaining fixtures.

“All season we haven’t focused on where we are, who’s around us, the form of teams – we’ve just focused on ourselves and that’s all we can do,” said Howe.

“We have a tough run of fixtures but I think at the same time a great run of fixtures because every game is important. They’re great occasions and we look to carry on our good form.

“We’re competing against elite teams who will fight to the end and we have to do the same. In our five games, we need to give our best preparation and focus because the fight we’re in could go right to the end of the season.” AFP, REUTERS