Mikel Arteta reveals two key reasons behind Arsenal’s title setback

The Gunners are set for a third consecutive second-place finish

Mikel Arteta has pinpointed the two main reasons he believes Arsenal have once again fallen short in the Premier League title race.

The Gunners are set for a third consecutive second-place finish, unable to keep pace with champions Liverpool this season.

Despite hopes of closing the gap on Arne Slot’s Reds during the second half of the campaign, Arsenal have fallen 15 points adrift of the league leaders with just two games remaining.

Read more: Kevin De Bruyne hints at staying in Premier League after Man City exit

Having also exited the Champions League and both domestic cup competitions, Arsenal’s trophy drought now stretches to five years.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s final home game of the season – a clash with Newcastle United at the Emirates on Sunday – Arteta admitted he had envisioned lifting the Premier League trophy on this day when the season kicked off in August.

“At the start of the season, if I had to visualise that moment, it would be playing the last home game on the final day and lifting the Premier League,’ he told Sky Sports.

“That’s what I had in my head.

“Now, with everything we’ve gone through in the last 11 months, I think we can all hold our heads up but still have that pain in the tummy, because that’s what we want to achieve.”

Read more: Man City boss Pep Guardiola slams Premier League over tight scheduling

Arteta believes that “red cards and injuries” are the two main reasons Arsenal have fallen behind in the title race with Liverpool.

Key players such as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel have all spent significant spells on the sidelines, disrupting the team’s rhythm and consistency.

Arteta has promised a “very exciting summer” for Arsenal, indicating that he and new sporting director Andrea Berta are fully aligned on the club’s transfer plans.

Arsenal have fallen 15 points adrift of the league leaders with just two games remaining

Berta, formerly the transfer chief at Atlético Madrid, officially joined Arsenal in March. He replaced Edu Gaspar, who abruptly left his role as sporting director in September.

“It’s going to be a very exciting summer,” said Arteta.

“First of all, reviewing what we have done. Finding ways to increase the level of the team. Finding big margins where we can still develop our game model and our players, then putting those plans together, playing the pre-season.

“And then if we don’t have enough from that, then it’s about what do we need to recruit now to make the difference.”

Read more: Arne Slot confirms Federico Chiesa’s future at Liverpool after difficult debut season

Footie Center

Footie Center

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Keep in touch with our news & offers

What to read next...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *