Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has warned Liverpool that their lead at the top of the Premier League will be extremely difficult to sustain – and believes his side can make up the nine-point gap to the leaders.
The Gunners travel to West Ham, live on Sky Sports Saturday Night Football, knowing they could temporarily cut that deficit to six points, before Liverpool host reigning champions Manchester City on Super Sunday.
Should Arne Slots side win that game, the Reds would re-establish or extend their current lead over the Gunners – and also move 11 clear of Pep Guardiolas side. West Ham vs Arsenal + Liverpool vs Man City – Get Sky Sports or Stream with NOWLive Premier League table | Watch Premier League highlights for freeEarlier this week, Slot urged caution over getting carried away about Liverpools lead, reminding everyone about how Arsenal themselves had an eight-point advantage at the top two seasons ago – but City fought back to claim the title.
Meanwhile, Arteta – having seen his Arsenal team lead the table and fail to win the title in the last two seasons – insists the Gunners are not out of the title fight at this stage. Weve been there and to sustain it for 10 months is extremely difficult, said Arteta.
Suddenly when you think you have it, one day it collapses. It can be a result, through injuries or other kinds of decisions. And it can happen in any moment. We have to be ready for that. But its something we cant control.
What we can control is be at our very best. Asked if Arsenal are capable of catching Liverpool this season, Arteta replied: I really believe in my team, yes. Ethan Nwaneri: Inside the rise of Arsenals star-in-waitingThis is a long run Ahead of this weekends games, Liverpool have reacted well to the departure of Jurgen Klopp and the installation of Slot as manager.
As well as winning all five of their Champions League games so far this season, they have picked up victories in 10 out of their 12 Premier League matches. Along with Nottingham Forest, Arsenal are one of only two teams to deny Liverpool victory this season after their 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium in October – and Arteta believes his team will need to be perfect if the Reds keep up their current form.
If they continue then thats for sure, with the numbers theyre producing and the amount of games theyre 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. Winning lifts the energy and our confidence up. Weve had two big wins for us and now its about consistency and getting that momentum, take it further against a good opponent [West Ham] and try to replicate the performance to win the game.
Man City have deserved to win every game theyve lost Arteta also spoke about Man Citys title hopes – suggesting Guardiolas side are not out of the fight because of their recent performances. Reigning champions City are winless in their last six games – a run which involved five straight defeats before throwing away a three-goal lead against Feyenoord on Wednesday night.
Guardiolas City also have a poor injury record, with key midfielder Rodri out for the season, with Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, John Stones, Oscar Bobb, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish all facing recent fitness issues.
Even with those injuries, they deserved to win every game, said Arteta about City. If you look at their stats and everything they do, they have always been better than the opposition. This is football.
You deserve and you dont win it, but theres a reason for that. Watch West Ham vs Arsenal on Saturday, plus Liverpool vs Man City on Super Sunday live on Sky Sports in a crucial weekend of title race football in the Premier League.
