Dominik Szoboszlai makes Arsenal admission as Mikel Arteta sends warning to Liverpool
Dominik Szoboszlai insists he will not be paying any attention to Arsenal's clash with Ipswich Town ahead of Liverpool's trip to Leicester City
Liverpool could win the Premier League title this weekend if Arsenal lose, but Dominik Szoboszlai insists he is paying no attention to the Reds’ title-rivals. The Gunners currently trail Arne Slot’s side by 13 points with six games left to play.
They travel to struggling Ipswich Town on Sunday and need to avoid defeat to ensure the title-race lasts at least another gameweek. Should they lose to the Tractor Boys and Liverpool then beat Leicester City in the later kick-off, the Reds will be champions.
Arsenal are then in action on Wednesday when they host Crystal Palace, and need to be no more than 12 points behind Liverpool come the final whistle to remain in mathematical contention.
Meanwhile, needing a maximum of six points from their remaining six games, Slot’s men can clinch the title next weekend at home to Tottenham Hotspur even if Arsenal win both of their next two matches.
Mikel Arteta’s men will be in action against Ipswich at 2pm on Sunday as Liverpool go through their final preparations ahead of facing Leicester at 4.30pm.
And despite the ramifications such a fixture could have for the Reds, Szoboszlai insists that the Liverpool dressing room are not thinking about Arsenal as they look to close in on the title.
“I think it’s going to be a huge moment for everyone but we have two games [wins] to go,” the Hungarian said ahead of the trip to the East Midlands. “I think it’s very important to be just calm, focus on Leicester [and] don’t even think about what Arsenal does.
“You have to focus on yourself because it is in your own hand and you have to be happy that it is only in your hand [and] you don’t have to focus on other teams to lose or draw. We have to be focused every game for 90 minutes.”
By closing on a joint-record 20th league title, Liverpool have certainly exceeded expectations in their first season under Slot.
And while the Reds are still stung by their premature Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain and League Cup final loss to Newcastle United, Szoboszlai insists it has been an ‘unbelievable’ campaign despite the ‘ups and downs’.
“It’s good because we have worked so hard for the whole season to get to this point,” he told the club website. “And everybody was involved somehow – from the players, from the staff, from the fans, from the city, from everybody.
“(It’s been) Unbelievable. Ups and downs: being first in the Champions League group stage and then [going] out against Paris [Saint-Germain], went to the Carabao Cup final [and] lost against Newcastle.
“Two games to go to win the Premier League. Ups and downs, but it was really good.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has warned Liverpool that he has no desire to see the Reds win the Premier League title this weekend.
Ahead of travelling to Ipswich, and facing the prospect of a defeat gifting Liverpool the opportunity to be crowned champions, he said: “We'll make sure that we win the game and that doesn't happen.”