Mikel Arteta insists title-chasing Arsenal are taking each game at a time as they head into their final seven matches of the Premier League season.
The Gunners went into the weekend leading Liverpool on goal difference and sitting a point ahead of Manchester City.
Arteta’s men, who drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates on Tuesday, face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa on Sunday.
“It is the only thing possible to look at one day and one game,” Arteta told a press conference on Friday.
“It is the only thing that is possible because it’s the only thing that maintains your focus and determines the tasks that you have to do on the day, which is the only thing that you can control.”
The title race is set to go down to the wire as Arsenal set their sights on securing the Premier League title for the first time since 2004.
The north Londoners could find themselves knocked off top spot should Manchester City beat Luton and Liverpool pick up any points against Crystal Palace in the earlier fixtures.
Arteta called for his team to focus on themselves going into Sunday’s clash at the Emirates.
“We will know the results but we’ll still have our duty to win our game which is the only thing that we can control,” he added.
“That’s happened a few times already and it’s going to happen again in the next few weeks, so we’ll just focus on what we can do.
“It’s the most beautiful part of the season coming up right now and a very busy schedule. We’re going to have a really tough (game) against a really good side, and are we going to have to be really good to beat them.”
Last 5 in the Premier League
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Injury-stricken Villa have some notable absences with the likes of Matty Cash, Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey and Boubacar Kamara ruled out of the tie.
Arteta wants Arsenal to take advantage of their opponent’s poor fortunes.
He said: “We always try to use things to our advantage. We don’t know what they are going to do and that’s nothing we can control. They still won last night and they are a really good side, so we know the danger and we know our strengths as well, and we’ll try to do what we have to do to win.”
