da brdice： Mikel Arteta voiced his thoughts on Son Heung-Min's potential title-defining miss against Manchester City using a heartfelt Michael Jordan analogy.
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Son missed a one-on-one chance vs CityHis miss has had huge ramifications in the title raceArteta is not miffed with the South KoreanWHAT HAPPENED?
On Tuesday, with Spurs trailing 1-0 against Manchester City, Son found himself in a one-on-one situation with substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. A goal from Son at this juncture would have not only equalised the game but also potentially taken crucial points off City, thereby benefiting Arsenal in their title pursuit. However, Ortega's save preserved City's lead, and a late Erling Haaland strike from the spot ensured that they secured a 2-0 victory.
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The win placed City two points ahead of second-placed Arsenal as they head into the final day of the season. However, Arteta is not miffed with Son for squandering the golden opportunity and instead claimed that if he had to choose any player from the Premier League to be in that situation, it would have been the South Korean forward.
WHAT ARTETA SAID
“If I had to pick a player in the Premier League for that moment, it probably would be him," Arteta stated.
He went on to draw an analogy to Jordan, the legendary basketball player known for his clutch performances and added: "Michael Jordan explained it many times, how many times he had the winning shot. It was always him. Sometimes yes (he scored), sometimes he did not manage to do it. This is the beauty of sport, as well. What can you do?
“My kids were running around the table and going like this [head in hands]. You can imagine. That is magic as well, to have the opportunity to be living it, next to your family and next to your colleagues. Being part of that. Don’t forget that, not long ago, that was done seven or eight games or 10 games ago.”
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
With City's victory, the title race has reached a fever pitch. Arsenal, now trailing by two points, face a crucial final match against Everton at the Emirates Stadium. Meanwhile, the Manchester club will host West Ham at the Etihad. The Gunners will be hoping for a favour from David Moyes, who is set to manage his last game for West Ham, to help tilt the title race in their favour.