Mikel Arteta said Friday he has no regrets over Arsenal's season despite missing out on silverware again and wants to finish as the "best of the rest" in the Premier League.
The Gunners, who face third-placed Newcastle on Sunday, have been the closest challengers to champions Liverpool all season.
But their league form has tailed off in recent weeks, with just one win in their past six games, either side of a Champions League semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain.
If Newcastle win at the Emirates they would leapfrog Arsenal into second with a single game remaining, though both clubs are likely to finish in the top five and qualify for next season's Champions League.
Arteta said his injury-hit team, runners-up to Manchester City for the previous two seasons, had been "phenomenal".
"You probably have regrets in your life and anything that you do in professional life as well when you haven't done your best," he said.
"I can guarantee and give you my word that we have all tried our very best. If you ask if we wanted a different outcome, especially with how close we've come again, then the answer is 'yes'.
"But that doesn't undermine a lot of incredible things that this team has done again in the context that we play, against the opposition that we play, with the circumstances that we had. It's impossible to undermine."
Arteta is anticipating a tough test from in-form Newcastle, who have beaten his side three times this season, once in the league and in both legs of the League Cup semi-finals. The Spaniard said it was important to finish as high as possible in the table.
"You have to always be as good as you possibly can," he said. "The dream of winning the Premier League this season is gone, so as we said, be the best of the rest and feel that pain to be better."
He added: "It's our chance to wrap up the Champions League, to put ourselves in a really strong position for the second place, and in a way to say thank you again to all of our supporters for the amazing season."
Arteta said a decision would be made on Saturday as to whether forward Kai Havertz, sidelined since early February, would be involved against Newcastle.
Goodison goodbye worth it, says Moyes
Everton boss David Moyes said an emotional farewell to the club's Goodison Park home will be worth it for a "bigger and better" future in a new 53,000-capacity stadium.
The Toffees men's side will play for the final time at Goodison, which has been Everton's home since 1892, on Sunday against Southampton.
However, the stadium in Liverpool has been saved from demolition with the news this week it will become the new home of Everton women.
"It will be a sad day, I think it will be an emotional day for a lot of people. I've got to keep the players focused on the game and try to do the best we can in the game," said Moyes at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"Obviously there have been great managers and players who have all performed here. I'm just the one that's going to shut the door on the way out, certainly on the way out for the men. We're looking forward to the ladies joining us.
"It will be sad when it goes, but we're moving into something which we think will give us a bigger and better future."
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