Arteta: Arsenal won’t win Premier League if…

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, says the club won’t win the Premier League unless they improve at both ends of the pitch.

Arteta said this on Friday after the Gunners’ title charge took a hit against West Ham.

Arsenal were beaten 2-0 in Thursday night’s London derby despite Arteta’s side having 30 shots on goal and 77 touches in West Ham box – the most in a single Premier League match since the 2008/09 season for a team who failed to score.

And for the second season in a row, Arsenal have dropped points in consecutive matches against Liverpool and West Ham. Last season saw the Gunners’ title charge come off its wheels in April, but Arteta is playing down this latest blip.

Arteta said: “There’s no panic, it’s about trying to do more and do better and win games. If the team is playing like this, then you’re going to go and win a lot of games.

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“If we don’t improve in the boxes, then no (we won’t win the league). Because at the end, that (the West Ham result) is what it is.

“But generating the rest, it was a record. So I don’t think there are many teams in the league who have done that over many years, so it’s something positive I think.”

Ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham, Arsenal have made only one change to the Premier League starting line-up in their last three top-flight matches – the singular switch was enforced as Kai Havertz was suspended against West Ham for picking a fifth yellow card at Liverpool.

Asked if Arsenal players are being overused or showing signs of fatigue in this busy winter schedule, Arteta said: “There are a lot of games, but they looked really good and fresh. When you win, you don’t look at that.

“They are young; if they are 35 then maybe it’s a different question. But they have a lot of energy and can keep going, that’s for sure.

“Without a spark, you don’t generate what the team generated (against West Ham). Then it’s the final thing, the final touch, the final touch that puts the ball in the back of the net or not. That’s what we need.”

The Star