Arsenal defender William Saliba has refuted claims that the club’s Premier League title hopes are dashed following a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle. Despite the setback, Saliba firmly believes the race is “not finished.”
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He voiced optimism for Arsenal’s ambitions, stressing the need for resilience even though their start to the season has been less than ideal, with just five wins from their first ten games.
The Gunners entered the clash at St. James’ Park seeking to end a string of disappointing results, but Alexander Isak’s early header in the 12th minute put Newcastle ahead.
Struggling to respond, Arsenal managed only one shot on target throughout the match, allowing Newcastle to dominate and secure three valuable points, lifting them to ninth in the standings.
Arsenal, meanwhile, missed an opportunity to narrow the gap with leaders Manchester City and now trail them by five points. City could extend this lead with their upcoming match against Bournemouth.
After the game, Saliba expressed disappointment but stressed that Arsenal would bounce back.
“We are all a bit sad because we wanted to win today,” Saliba told TNT Sports. “We didn’t play the way we wanted, and Newcastle deserved the win. But it’s OK, we are focused on next week. The title race is not finished.”
Saliba praised Newcastle’s goal, crediting the cross and finish, but believes Arsenal can improve in response to setbacks.
“It was a great goal from them,” Saliba added. “But we need to stick together. Last season, we had a tough period like this. Staying united and confident is essential. We believe we’ll come back stronger.”
Reflecting on his own form, Saliba admitted there was room for improvement, saying, “I need to be better than my last game. I wasn’t at my best today, but I’ll keep working to reach my top level.”
Arsenal will aim to get back on track with their upcoming Champions League fixture against Inter Milan at San Siro, followed by a critical Premier League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
