by If Arsenal were to snap their lengthy Premier League title drought, Mikel Arteta acknowledges that the Gunners would need to be nearly flawless in their pursuit of Manchester City.
Despite having a record-breaking 2023–24 season and winning more games than ever in the division, Arteta’s team was not enough to win the championship. Thanks to their victory against West Ham on the last day, City finished two points ahead of Arsenal, making Arsenal’s victory over Everton meaningless.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s league opener against Wolves at home on Saturday, Arteta was questioned about what it would take to win the championship for the first time after the team had finished second to City the previous two seasons.
The manager of Arsenal stated that in order to end City’s four-year reign as champions, his squad would need to perform at unprecedented levels. “Undoubtedly shatter more of those records and accumulate more points,” the Spanish player said.
“Those 89 points won’t cut it. We will need to improve once more given the caliber of competition we face and the increasing difficulty of each season. It has to be quite near the numbers that we’ve seen recently, although I’m not sure what ideal looks like.”
Since Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ went undefeated throughout the 2003–04 league season, Arsenal has not won the championship. However, Arteta’s men’s intense desire for achievement has not diminished despite the agonizing close calls they have faced over the past two years.
The way his players responded at a London end-of-season celebration, reiterating their will to catch City, particularly encouraged Arteta.
“Every player in the team told me, “We’re going to get better, we’re going to work harder, we want more,” when we came together. stated Arteta. It can only be beneficial since they are the ones pursuing that objective.
It seems as though you’re attempting to scale the tallest peak or make the trickiest jump in the world, and everyone around you is vying for the same goal. Without a doubt, we’ll try.”
Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori, a defender who was bought in the off-season from Bologna, may make his Wolves debut, but Takehiro Tomiyasu of Japan will likely miss the game due to a knee injury.
Regarding rumors that Arteta wants to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino before the summer transfer window closes, the player declined to comment. “You are aware that I am not allowed to discuss any other player,” he said. “After the season, we wanted to achieve two things.
Making sure we still have a deep passion for our players and looking for methods to help them better is the first and most crucial step.
“Okay, in order to strengthen the team in the market, we’ll need to look more closely at any choices that are available. Things can happen as long as the market is open. That is always a potential outcome.”
