Mikel Arteta insists his Arsenal side will continue to dig for Premier League glory as the season enters its final fortnight.
The Gunners headed into the weekend just one point behind leaders Manchester City, but having played a game more.
Brighton are the visitors to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, with Arsenal hoping for the chance to move back to the summit, a position they held for the majority of the season.
The destiny of the title was taken out of their own hands after a 4-1 thrashing at City followed a run of three consecutive draws.
Since then, Arsenal have got back on track with impressive wins over Chelsea and Newcastle and Arteta is urging his players to keep working until the end of the campaign.
“We are going to continue to dig — dig, dig, dig, dig,” he said.
“And maybe the prize is there. We don’t know if it’s there, but we are going to continue to dig, just in case it is where we can get to, and make sure that we can do our best.
“The stakes are huge and we are full of enthusiasm to get that prize in the best possible way.
We are going to continue to dig... And maybe the prize is there— Mikel Arteta
“To do that, we have to win our matches and the first one is Brighton and they are fighting for something very important.
“That is what is going to make it really complicated.”
Arsenal will kick off against the Seagulls after City have faced relegation-threatened Everton.
Arteta spent six-and-a-half years at Goodison Park before moving to Arsenal and is hoping for a favour from his former club, who shocked Brighton with a 5-1 win on the south coast last week.
“Obviously they are playing for their life right now and you could see that in the last game against Brighton,” he added.
“Sean (Dyche) has instilled that belief again and that cohesion around the team and the fans to create something special.
“As a huge Everton fan, I want the best for them and that’s not going to change this weekend.
“They had some very good results and some others that deserved more. They have been really, really competitive in the last few months.
“For sure they are going to give their best, but there are teams who are fighting for Europe and others fighting for relegation and others playing the last game of the season at home, and you know what that means.
“Every game has a different meaning and it will be important for sure.”
