Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been warned that he could lose his job if he fails to deliver the Premier League title as the Gunners have already opened up a sizeable gap at the top. After coming agonisingly close in the past three seasons, the Gunners have been told that anything less than lifting the trophy this year could mark the end of Arteta’s tenure in north London.
Arsenal take command as rivals stumble
Arteta's men have looked a cut above the rest so far, grinding out results with an air of confidence. Their latest triumph was a gritty 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday. The win saw them open a four-point cushion at the top. Liverpool’s shock 3-2 defeat to Brentford was their fourth loss on the bounce, while Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City fell 1-0 to Aston Villa. Former Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze provided the decisive strike for Arsenal, slamming home in the first half. The result extended Arsenal’s unbeaten league run and made it four wins in a row, with three of those accompanied by clean sheets. Now sitting pretty with 22 points from nine matches, they lead Bournemouth by four points, while early challengers City and Liverpool are down in fifth and seventh respectively.
AdvertisementAFPWayne Rooney sounds a stark warning
While Arsenal’s form has drawn praise, United legend Wayne Rooney has urged caution and dropped a big warning for Arteta. Speaking in the latest episode of the former United striker said: "The squad is good enough now and I think they've had the experiences which have got them close, but I think they're ready for it. If they don't win it now, you'd probably see a change of manager."
Gary Neville, another Old Trafford icon, went even further, proclaiming that Arsenal have one hand on the title already. Speaking on The , he said: "This has got to be them, hasn't it? This has got to be their year. This is the fourth season on the bounce that I've had them to win the league, but they're not necessarily miles better, they're repeating their levels of consistency, and that's all they're going to have to do this year to win the league. They're not going to have to go and get 100 points, they're not going to have to get even 90 or 95 points to win the league, mid-80s, high 80s will win them this title, and they can do that.
"I mentioned before about the other teams [being] inconsistent and unreliable, that's not this Arsenal team. They're very reliable. You can trust them. The way in which they defend is fantastic. They're all around each other. They don't concede goals. They've got a threat up front in multiple areas. They've not got a sensational centre-forward, but they've got a battering ram up there as honest as a day's long, and that can work for them. They've got [Eberechi] Eze, they've got so they've got [Noni] Madueke, [Gabriel] Martinelli, [Leandro] Trossard, lots of players who can contribute goals. They've got [Declan] Rice who can obviously deliver in set-pieces. They've got four fantastic full-backs and three excellent centre-backs."
Arsenal's defensive discipline reaches historic heights
Arsenal’s rise has been built on a defensive foundation few teams in England can match. The Gunners have now played 100 consecutive matches across all competitions without conceding three goals in a single game, which places them alongside Manchester United. The last time Arsenal shipped three in a league match was almost two years ago during a thrilling 4-3 win over Luton Town in December 2023.
Neville urged the Gunners to keep their feet grounded and build on the early momentum. He added: "So there are a lot of very good things going for Arsenal. It's about making sure now they don't get carried away. It's about making sure they just keep doing the same things. They don't need to do anything spectacular here. Just keep doing your jobs. Keep doing what you do, and you will win this league. It's yours to win. This is your title, Arsenal. I've never really felt that sure before. It's so early in the season, it's madness for someone with the experience that I've got of winning titles to say that 'it's yours', but it really is.
"They must feel it themselves. The Arsenal fans must feel it. They must know that this is the moment that Arsenal can get back on top. This is a moment for Mikel Arteta, for these players, for Arsenal to represent themselves as being the best in the country. The chance and the opportunity is there for them, they've got to go and take it."
Getty ImagesA busy November for Arteta
The next three fixtures could prove a defining stretch for Arteta’s men, who are now chasing success on multiple fronts. Arsenal face Brighton in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday. They’ll then turn their attention back to the league with a trip to Turf Moor to face Burnley, before switching to Champions League duties against Slavia Prague. However, the more demanding tests come after the international break as they are set to host Tottenham in the north London derby, followed by a Champions League date with Bayern Munich, and will then travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea on November 30.