Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged his team to chase down Premier League leaders Liverpool in their quest to secure the club’s first league title since 2004.
The Gunners, runners-up to Manchester City in the last two seasons, currently trail Arne Slot’s Liverpool by six points. The league leaders also have a game in hand, leaving Arsenal playing catch-up after a series of stumbles in October and November.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to face mid-table Brighton, Arteta called for greater consistency from his squad.
“We have to show the same level of consistency, and a bit more,” Arteta said on Friday. “In the past year, we have been the best team in the league, broken various records, and still haven’t won a major trophy. So, something is missing.
“It’s going to come down to very small details. We’ve been so close, and we just need to flip that coin to the other side to make it happen. That will only happen if we focus on what we can control. The rest is out of our hands.”
Arsenal’s title bid has been hampered by injuries, with England winger Bukayo Saka sidelined until March due to a hamstring issue sustained against Crystal Palace last month.
“There’s no one player who can play nine games in a row in that position—it’s impossible,” Arteta said. “We need more attacking options, more players fit, and better rotation. Based on that, we’ll make decisions, and performances will determine the rest.”
When asked about the possibility of strengthening the squad in the January transfer window, Arteta struck a cautious tone.
“The focus is on the players we have,” he said. “If there’s something in the market we can afford and that we believe will have a real impact on the team, we’ll be open to it. But for now, our focus remains on the current squad.”
Despite the challenges, Arteta remains optimistic that Arsenal can maintain pressure on Liverpool and keep their title hopes alive in the second half of the season.
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