Since their last Premier League title in 2004, Arsenal has led the league at the start of the year five times (2008, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2023) but failed to win the title at the end of the season each time.

While admitting he does not pay attention to this statistic, Arteta believes the 4-1 victory over Aston Villa, which closed out 2025, shows his players are ready to rewrite history.

"Let's break that statistic," the Spanish coach said on 2/1 during a press conference ahead of the Premier League 20th round match against Bournemouth. "My players show that every day in training and in every match. You can clearly see their desire, energy, and will to win. The season still has five months left; we will take it step by step, enjoy our current position, and give our all."

Coach Mikel Arteta celebrates after Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Brighton in the Premier League 18th round at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 27/12/2025. *Photo: EPA*

In the 19th round earlier this week, Arsenal defeated Aston Villa 4-1, while Man City drew 0-0 with Sunderland. As a result, the "Gunners" extended their lead over second-placed Man City to four points. According to leading statistics firm Opta, Arsenal is now the strongest contender with a 78,98% chance of winning the title.

Nevertheless, Arteta remains cautious when asked about the title race. "We are happy with our current position, but there is still much to improve. The season is long, and the most important thing is always the next match," he stressed.

Arsenal lost two matches against Bournemouth in the Premier League last season: 0-2 away due to an early red card for William Saliba and 1-2 at Emirates in May. Therefore, Arteta admits his team needs to learn from these experiences, while also showing great respect for coach Andoni Iraola and how Bournemouth challenges stronger teams.

Regarding squad availability, the Spanish coach stated that Declan Rice missed the Aston Villa victory due to knee inflammation, has not returned to training, and his availability for the next match is uncertain. Meanwhile, two defenders, Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera, are definitely out.

Conversely, the win against Aston Villa also marked the first time three forwards, Gabriel Jesus, Viktor Gyokeres, and Kai Havertz, were all included in the matchday squad this season. Arteta expressed excitement about this "pleasant headache" of having many quality attacking options, especially as Arsenal enters a packed fixture schedule.

Hong Duy (according to The Guardian, Arsenal.com)