Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta has warned Liverpool that their lead on the prime of the Premier League will probably be “extremely difficult” to maintain – and believes his facet could make up the nine-point hole to the leaders.
The Gunners journey to West Ham, reside on Sky Sports activities’ Saturday Night time Soccer, realizing they might briefly minimize that deficit to 6 factors, earlier than Liverpool host reigning champions Manchester Metropolis on Tremendous Sunday.
Ought to Arne Slot’s facet win that recreation, the Reds would re-establish or lengthen their present lead over the Gunners – and in addition transfer 11 away from Pep Guardiola’s facet.
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Earlier this week, Slot urged warning over getting carried away about Liverpool’s lead, reminding everybody about how Arsenal themselves had an eight-point benefit on the prime two seasons in the past – however Metropolis fought again to say the title.
In the meantime, Arteta – having seen his Arsenal crew lead the desk and fail to win the title within the final two seasons – insists the Gunners aren’t out of the title struggle at this stage.
“We’ve been there and to sustain it for 10 months is extremely difficult,” mentioned Arteta. “All of a sudden while you assume you might have it, sooner or later it collapses.
“It may be a end result, by accidents or different kinds of choices. And it may well occur in any second. We have now to be prepared for that.
“But it’s something we can’t control. What we can control is be at our very best.”
Requested if Arsenal are able to catching Liverpool this season, Arteta replied: “I really believe in my team, yes.”
‘This can be a future’
Forward of this weekend’s video games, Liverpool have reacted properly to the departure of Jurgen Klopp and the set up of Slot as supervisor.
In addition to profitable all 5 of their Champions League video games to this point this season, they’ve picked up victories in 10 out of their 12 Premier League matches.
Together with Nottingham Forest, Arsenal are one among solely two groups to disclaim Liverpool victory this season after their 2-2 draw on the Emirates Stadium in October – and Arteta believes his crew will should be excellent if the Reds sustain their present kind.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Southampton’s match in opposition to Liverpool within the Premier League
“If they continue then that’s for sure, with the numbers they’re producing and the amount of games they’re winning,” added Arteta.
“The focus is on us to maintain the consistency especially and performances that will give us the right to win games, keep the availability in the squad. This is a long run.
“Profitable lifts the vitality and our confidence up. We have had two massive wins for us and now it is about consistency and getting that momentum, take it additional in opposition to a very good opponent [West Ham] and attempt to replicate the efficiency to win the sport.”
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‘Man Metropolis have deserved to win each recreation they’ve misplaced’
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Arteta discusses this weekend’s top-of-the-Premier League desk conflict between Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis
Arteta additionally spoke about Man Metropolis’s title hopes – suggesting Guardiola’s facet aren’t out of the struggle due to their current performances.
Reigning champions Metropolis are winless of their final six video games – a run which concerned 5 straight defeats earlier than throwing away a three-goal lead in opposition to Feyenoord on Wednesday evening.
Guardiola’s Metropolis even have a poor damage document, with key midfielder Rodri out for the season, with Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, John Stones, Oscar Bobb, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish all dealing with current health points.
“Even with those injuries, they deserved to win every game,” mentioned Arteta about Metropolis. “If you look at their stats and everything they do, they have always been better than the opposition.
“That is soccer. You deserve and you do not win it, however there is a cause for that.”
Watch West Ham vs Arsenal on Saturday, plus Liverpool vs Man Metropolis on Tremendous Sunday reside on Sky Sports activities in an important weekend of title race soccer within the Premier League.
