David Luiz has said that Arsenal need to be ‘humble’ after drawing with Manchester United on Saturday at the Emirates before adding he won’t give up on finishing first until it is mathematically impossible.

Arsenal's Brazilian defender David Luiz (R) heads the ball away from Manchester United's Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani (L) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 30, 2021. (Photo by Shaun Botterill / POOL / AFP)
Arsenal’s Brazilian defender David Luiz (R) heads the ball away from Manchester United’s Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani (L) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 30, 2021. (Photo by Shaun Botterill / POOL / AFP)

Speaking to the media after Arsenal and Manchester United shared the points, David Luiz said, “As I say, you have to be humble because we are far from the first position. We have to take it game by game and then at the end of the season we’ll see how far we can go.

“The ambition has to be there. The ambition is to be there, to be fighting for the first position, the ambition has to be there. I never start something in my life without ambition.

“Until the moment it’s mathematically impossible you have to try. You have to try your best. I try to win game by game by game so this is what we have to put in our minds every single day.”

I can’t help but think a humble person would talk about wanting to get into the top four, especially given where Arsenal were not that long ago. I doubt he really thinks Arsenal are going for first at the minute. Maybe he does. He is David Luiz, after all.

Neither side can feel particularly disappointed with the 0-0 draw although Arsenal will certainly be wondering what might have been had Kieran Tierney and Bukayo Saka been fit to start. The pair have been Arsenal’s best players this season and they would have made a massive difference in what was a game of fine margins.

As it stands, Arsenal are now in 8th place, at least until Aston Villa play Southampton on Saturday night. 18 points from the last seven games that have seen us play United and Chelsea is certainly not too shabby, especially when you consider it wasn’t that long ago we were wondering if we were actually in relegation trouble.

Arsenal are currently 13 points from first place, which is fewer than we are from the drop zone.

At the time of writing, we’re 16 points above it and only nine points from the magic 40-point safety barrier.

With 17 more games to play, I think Arsenal will be OK. They won’t be champions, but they will be OK.

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