Mikel Arteta responds to Liverpool being ready to celebrate the Premier League title tonight if Arsenal lose

Mikel Arteta has insisted that Arsenal have no extra incentive to stop Liverpool celebrating the Premier League title early.

There is a chance of the Reds being crowned English champions this evening. It will happen if Arsenal, who are 13 points behind Liverpool in second spot, lose to Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.

Anfield captain Virgil van Dijk has revealed that the Reds’ squad are set to gather to watch the game together. There will be celebrations should the Gunners lose - as there were five years ago. Liverpool’s players gathered at Formby Hall Golf Club to toast the moment they won the league for the first time since 1990 as Manchester City lost to Chelsea.

What Mikel Arteta has said about the Premier League title race

If Arsenal avoid defeat against Palace then Liverpool can still claim the silverware when they face Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday. Asked about potentially stopping Liverpool from partying, Gunners boss Arteta said at his pre-match press conference: “Our incentive is to win our game and do our best to continue with the round that we are in right now. The rest we cannot control.”

Arteta does have somewhat of a quandary when it comes to his team selection. Arsenal’s chief focus is on the Champions League and they face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final first leg next week. The Gunners have to weigh up whether to rest some of their key players. But they are without a game at the weekend, so will want some rhythm.

On the challenge, Arteta said: “There's always a balance. And obviously you want to balance the risk and make sure that you are sensible with your decision-making. But that's what we have as well. Our very top staff to guide us and to tell us what we should be doing and what the risks are when we do that. But unfortunately in football, you know, anything can happen. And the game starts when the game finishes, to write the story of what should have happened, you know, and that's easy. So do it before.”

Bukayo Saka injury news

Arsenal head into the Palace game after a 4-0 win over Ipswich Town. Bukayo Saka was on the end of a challenge that earned Tractor Boys left-back Leif Davis a red card. Saka should be OK be Arteta has to make a decision on his talisman or rest him.

The Spaniard added: “ We have to wait and see how he reacts after the session but he is nothing too serious. I think he will have a good chance to play tomorrow. We cannot think in those terms, when the players are fit and available and want to play, they have to play. They are at their best when they are playing and they have consistency in their performances and physically and emotionally they are good. They have the rhythm and that is when they are at their best.

"If they are not available, there is no discussion. If they are not in a good condition to perform we are not going to play them. But if they are we will play them."