Piero Hincapie makes Premier League title race admission before Carabao Cup final against Man City

Mikel Arteta’s side head to Wembley holding a commanding nine-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. While pundits suggest a victory on Sunday could deal a crushing psychological blow to their closest rivals, the mood inside the Arsenal camp remains strictly professional.

The north London club is currently balancing a historic pursuit of four trophies. Their momentum was bolstered on Tuesday night following a clinical 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen which secured their progression to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-1 aggregate win.

When questioned on whether the result at the national stadium would shift the momentum of the league season, Hincapie remained focused on the immediate task. The defender was adamant that the squad is not looking beyond the 90 minutes at Wembley.

"It's going to be a very difficult game," he said as quoted by ESPN. "We're very focused on wanting to win it, but we have to work hard to win the title. We're really focused on the final, which is a very important final. We're going to train very hard to get to the final in the best way possible and to win the title. That's the most important thing."

The midweek success against Bayer Leverkusen carried personal weight for Hincapie, who joined Arsenal from the German outfit. Eliminating his former team-mates proved to be an emotional hurdle, yet one he navigated with the same composure he has shown in the Gunners' backline all season.

Reflecting on the victory, Hincapie stated: "I'm really excited to have qualified for the quarter-finals with my club, but I'm also a bit sad because it was against my former club. This is football and I'm really happy."

Arsenal sit comfortably at the top of the Premier League, having won four consecutive games in the league. After Sunday's crucial final against Manchester City, the Gunners will be in action in the FA Cup quarter-finals against Southampton, followed by a Champions League clash with Sporting CP.