It wasn't quite the same as predecessor George Graham ahead of Arsenal's famous last game in 1988-89, when he came in the morning after title rivals Liverpool thumped West Ham United 5-1. "Best thing for us, they'll think they have it won," was his message before that historic title showdown at Anfield.
This season's final day obviously doesn't have those dimensions, where the top two met for a final clash. It feels unlikely that it will reach the heights of previous Premier League climaxes. This is the ninth time the title has gone down to the final day since the competition was founded in 1992, but it feels illusory, closer to 2010 or 2014 rather than 1995 or 2012.
Let's face it, does anybody seriously think Man City are going to slip up at home to West Ham United? Far more likely is that they beat them easily, just as they did on the last day in 2014 and just as Chelsea did against Wigan Athletic in 2010. It's why Arteta has to tell the Arsenal players to simply concentrate on their own jobs.
The truth is that the entire tension of the day is predicated on something that sheer probability suggests is highly unlikely. Even if City fall behind, as they did to Aston Villa on a more stirring day in 2022, does anyone doubt they'd also come back from that? This was always the one issue hanging over the prospective three-way title race, too. All three would have been at home with winnable games. As it is, Liverpool only have Jurgen Klopp's farewell, but they've still got over 80 points.
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Denne historien er fra May 19, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
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