A 2-0 victory over North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur was a real statement of intent from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side. A team that has shown significant progress over the last year, the Gunners are creating more and more believers that this could be their year for a long-awaited Premier League title.
Arsenal Make Title Statement With Derby Win
Arsenal’s win at Spurs in mid-January ended the Gunners’ poor run of results at the home of their old rivals. Arteta’s side, who are -120 in the Premier League winner odds, had lost on all of their previous three visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was March 2014 the last time Arsenal had won at Spurs in the Premier League but Arteta’s side was able to put that run to bed with a well-deserved three points in their rivals’ own backyard. That win was another feather in the cap for Arteta and another reason why the Gunners are getting backing in English Premier League predictions to do well this season.
Arsenal has taken challenges in their stride this term and while there is still plenty of football to be played, they appear to be making great progress. The World Cup break for the major tournament in Qatar over the winter was a major distraction. However, after that win at Tottenham, it looks like Arteta and the players who did not feature at the World Cup made good use of the time and Arsenal is still competing at the top of the Premier League standings.
Avoiding The Mistakes Of Last Season
Although the Gunners had a different goal in mind towards the back end of last season, Arteta will be determined to avoid the same drop-off in results. While the Premier League title was not on Arsenal’s radar last season, the club was looking to end its wait to secure a place back in the Champions League. The Gunners last featured in Europe’s elite club competition back in the 2016/17 season and it looked like the wait to qualify for the tournament was coming to an end. However, defeats to Tottenham and Newcastle United in the final weeks of the campaign saw Arsenal miss out on a top-four finish.
It was a disappointing end to the season and a tough experience for Arteta and his side to go through. Instead of dwelling on the disappointment, the Gunners responded well and managed to win 10 of the first 11 Premier League games of this season. A credit to Arteta, his management team and the players, Arsenal seems to have learned from last season’s heartbreak.
The key towards the business end of this season will be to make sure that drop off in results does not occur again and that the Gunners handle the pressure when the heat is really on. The likes of reigning champions Manchester City, Manchester United, and Newcastle are looking to chase down the Gunners and the pressure is only likely to get greater as the season progresses.
It’s an exciting time for all involved at Arsenal and after the low of last season’s ending, there is growing optimism about what can be achieved at the Emirates this time around.