Mikel Arteta remains optimistic about Arsenal’s title aspirations, despite trailing league leaders Liverpool by nine points.
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The Gunners endured a challenging start to the season, facing injuries to key players like Martin Odegaard and a grueling fixture list that included away matches against Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Chelsea.
Speaking ahead of their game against Nottingham Forest, Arteta highlighted the disparity in fixture difficulty across teams and emphasized the importance of the upcoming schedule.
“Different schedules are an important factor. Hopefully, by 18, 20, or 25 games, we’ll be in the mix,” he said.
Arsenal’s injury list is easing, with Odegaard returning at a crucial time. Their upcoming fixtures offer a chance to build momentum, particularly with Liverpool and Manchester City facing tougher schedules.
Arteta challenged his team to seize this opportunity: “This is the right moment to generate momentum. We couldn’t earlier, but let’s do it now.”
He stressed the focus on winning as the only acceptable outcome, especially during the pivotal Christmas period. “Anything other than winning creates unnecessary emotions. We need to control what we can and focus on performing at the highest level,” Arteta added. With several players regaining fitness, Arsenal’s push for the top spot is far from over.
