Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal should take heart from their attacking display against Manchester City and believes all is not lost in the Premier League title race.
After a season where they have been top for most of the season, the Gunners could drop to second place on Wednesday if Pep Guardiola's side win against Burnley.
The 2-1 defeat at the Etihad was the fourth in a row in the league and has added to fears that the team's form is falling at precisely the crucial moment.
However, Wenger expressed encouragement from Arsenal's attacking play and called on coach Mikel Arteta to play more freely in the remaining matches.
He stressed that Manchester City also has difficult matches ahead, so he is not convinced that they will win all the matches.
"I believe Arsenal will win the league. I believe it deeply. It seems logical to me. I liked the way they attacked with players like Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaardi, Kai Havertzi and Noni Madueke. Manchester City will not have a perfect end to the season," he said.
Wenger, who won three Premier League titles during his 22-year spell at Arsenal, also said he misses football.
"I miss it every day. I've been coaching for 40 years. I miss the field, the contact, the communication," he added.
However, he emphasized that he has always looked forward and has not been tied to the past.
Despite recent negative results, Arsenal still have a chance for a big end to the season, as they face a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
After the loss to City, Arteta expressed disappointment.
"It was a very disappointing result and the way it happened. We put in a very good performance, we came back from a disadvantage and created the best chances, but we didn't take them," said the Spaniard.
He added that the match was decided by key moments.
"When they had the chances, they scored. That was the difference. We missed an opportunity to win, but we showed character and level," he added.
Arteta remains optimistic about the end of the season.
"Now we have five more games. It's like a new championship. They have one less game, we have three more points - the race continues," he concluded.
Arsenal return to action against Newcastle United on Saturday, with the title race remaining wide open./Express newspaper/
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