Mikel Arteta sent a warning to Premier League leaders Liverpool, declaring that “sensational” Arsenal are back in the title race after their 2-1 victory over Tottenham in the north London derby on Wednesday. The win was crucial for Arteta’s side, who needed to close the gap on the league leaders, and they delivered with a resilient fightback after Son Heung-min’s early opener for Tottenham.
Arsenal responded quickly, with Dominic Solanke’s own goal pulling them level before Leandro Trossard’s strike just before halftime gave the Gunners a lead they would hold onto. The victory, their first in four games across all competitions, lifted them within four points of Liverpool, who still have a game in hand but are now facing pressure from Arsenal in the title race.
Arteta, despite acknowledging that Liverpool remain the favorites, expressed confidence that Arsenal can catch up. “Yeah, we are,” Arteta said when asked if his team are title contenders. “There is so much to play for. We can see how difficult it is for every team.” The win was particularly important following Arsenal’s recent disappointments, including a penalty defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup third round and a 2-0 loss to Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final first leg.
Arteta praised his players for their hunger and resilience, particularly given the challenges they had faced in the previous week. “We were sensational. It was a big test after two games and not getting rewarded,” he said. “We have big examples of that today, playing 72 hours after 120 minutes on Sunday.”
Declan Rice, who was instrumental in midfield despite playing through injury, echoed Arteta’s sentiments, stating that the team had dominated the first half and felt unlucky not to have scored more. “We showed the intent, the pressure, the desire. I think we were probably unlucky that we didn’t score 10,” said Rice, who also reflected on his personal journey and the criticism he has faced despite his big-money move to Arsenal.
Both Arteta and Rice are confident that Arsenal can capitalize on any further slips from Liverpool as they continue their pursuit of a first Premier League title since 2004. With another key test against Aston Villa on Saturday, Arteta will be hoping his team can maintain their momentum as they look to close the gap further in the second half of the season.
