Nathan Ake is confident Manchester City will hold their nerve to overhaul Arsenal in the tension-filled Premier League title race.
City closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to one point with a 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest thanks to goals from Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland on Sunday.
But the Gunners can reopen a four-point lead over City if they beat Bournemouth on Saturday, before the champions return to action at home to Wolves later the same day.
Although some believe having to come from behind in a title race is more mentally demanding, City defender Ake believes the advantage is with his team.
While Arsenal hold pole position at present, Pep Guardiola’s side know they will be champions for an unprecedented fourth successive season if they win their last five games.
“For me it doesn’t matter really,” Ake said. “It’s in our hands so we’re not depending on what they do.
“That’s the difference from last year, we were still depending on what they were doing.
“This season it’s in our hands. The only thing we have to do is focus on the next one. It’s so close but it’s also so far away.
“It’s about what we do now. At the moment it’s going well but we know what we have to do in the end – win four games and we can be champions again.”
While Ake has his eyes on the prize, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has urged his team to stay focused on their own job and ignore City’s run-in.
Having built a three-goal lead in the first half, the Gunners survived a strong Tottenham fightback after the interval to clinch a crucial 3-2 win in Sunday’s north London derby.
City’s game in hand on Arsenal is at Tottenham on May 14, but Raya laughed off suggestions they would ask for a favour from their bitter local rivals.
“I don’t want to focus on that. I just want to focus on the team, on us, and focus on next Saturday against Bournemouth,” Raya said.
“We cannot focus on other teams because you lose your focus on yourself and you don’t start playing the same way.
“I like challenges and I don’t feel under pressure. It’s an opportunity to show what you are capable of. I’m really enjoying this challenge.”
Raya said becoming the first Arsenal side to win at Tottenham in two successive league seasons since the late 1980s underlined the hunger among Mikel Arteta’s squad to lift the club’s first title in 20 years.
“It is massive winning this game, especially as it’s the north London derby,” Raya said.
“You have to win away games to be able to push for the title and I think we are showing that.”
AFP
