'A total eclipse of the Art'

WHEELS ARE OFF MIKEL'S TITLE BID

- Jeremy Cross

IT'S fair to say Mikel Arteta has left no stone unturned in his bid to make Arsenal winners.

That's what the challenge of attempting to take down a true champion like Pep Guardiola does to managers like Arteta.

Twice the Spaniard has tried it in the last two seasons - and twice he's failed.

Which is strange, considering the lengths he has gone to on the training ground.

He's played You'll Never Walk Alone before games at Liverpool.

He's bought a chocolate Labrador called Win and taken it to Arsenal's Colney HQ to spend time with the squad.

He's picked the brains of every leading sports coach known to man, and just this week invited the All Blacks and their boss Scott Robertson to the training ground to pass on some tips.

Heck, Arteta has even signed someone with the surname Jesus.

Which may well still be optimistic, because even turning water into wine is easier than getting the better of Guardiola in a title race.