Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that Arsenal will need to be near perfect to catch Premier League leaders Liverpool, but he believes momentum is building after a difficult spell. Arsenal, who finished runners-up to Manchester City in the last two seasons, have seen Liverpool surge eight points clear at the top of the table.
Arteta’s side heads into Saturday’s match against West Ham buoyed by a 5-1 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League and a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend. The win over Forest ended a four-match winless streak in the league and gave Arsenal hope of climbing back into the title race. A victory at the London Stadium on Saturday would lift the Gunners into second place, ahead of Sunday’s key clash between Liverpool and Manchester City.
Arteta was asked if his team would have to be flawless to stand a chance of catching Liverpool, who have won 10 of their first 12 games. “If they continue that way, that’s for sure, with the numbers they’re producing,” he replied. “But the focus is on us, maintaining consistency, especially in performances. This is a long run.”
The manager emphasized that momentum has been building since the international break. “Winning lifts the energy and our confidence,” he said, pointing to the importance of maintaining consistency and replicating their recent performances against strong opponents. “This is every three days, so it’s about the next performance.”
Arsenal’s recent improvement has been helped by the return of captain Martin Ødegaard, who missed two months with an ankle injury. Arteta praised the “exceptional” midfielder for making an immediate impact since his return, highlighting Ødegaard’s ability to elevate the team and make his teammates better. “Good players that are so consistent and reliable can take the game to a different level,” Arteta said. “That’s a huge quality of Martin’s and he has been missed.”