Arsenal are nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool but can close the gap against Brentford on New Year’s Day and Mikel Arteta wants to ramp up the pressure on the Reds
Arsenal are nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool but can close the gap against Brentford on New Year’s Day and Mikel Arteta wants to ramp up the pressure on the Reds Arsenal are nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool but can close the gap against Brentford on New Year’s Day and Mikel Arteta wants to ramp up the pressure on the Reds
Mikel Arteta wants his Arsenal players to be like a “hammer” – and get ready to smash Liverpool in the title race.
Arteta sounded the warning ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Brentford on New Year’s Day knowing a win will keep the pressure on. The Gunners are nine points behind the Reds after 18 games.
Arne Slot’s men have been remarkably consistent but Arteta says Arsenal must be ready to pounce if their title rivals slip up. Liverpool have tasted defeat just once this term when they faced second-placed Nottingham Forest, who the north London side can surpass with three points against the Bees.
Gunners boss Arteta also played some mind games as he insisted no team in history has ever won every single game and therefore Liverpool will drop points.
Arteta said: “We have to continue to be like a hammer, be there every day, every day, and if someone wins all the matches then congratulate them and then go to the next season. But if they don’t – which in history it hasn’t happened – then we will be there.
“It doesn’t depend on us. But we will have full focus on Brentford because our minds have to be on what we have to do. We have to recover because not just now but also in the next few weeks, we have so many games, so many competitions and we need to be right up there.”
Liverpool’s form has seen them established as firm title-favourites. However, topping the division on Christmas Day is by no means a gurantee of glory in May.
(
Image:
Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
In 31 seasons of the Premier League the team leading the way at that point has gone on to win the league on 16 occasions. As Arteta highlighted, Slot and co still have work to do.
It is not a situation that brings greater pressure to Liverpool’s manager however.”You’re sitting in front of the Liverpool manager, so there is always pressure at this club,” Slot said earlier this month.
“If we are one, two, three, four or five in the table, if you work at a big club like Liverpool, there is always pressure. It’s not so strange for a club like us to be top of the league but we know how many good teams there are in this league and they are able to win almost every game as well. So there’s no extra pressure, there is always pressure if you work at a club like Liverpool.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Learn more
Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Mirror – Sport