Mikel Arteta: The Three Games That Cost Arsenal the Premier League Title
Arsenal had a remarkable season last year, topping the Premier League table for 248 days before a late collapse saw them hand the title to Manchester City. Mikel Arteta, the Gunners’ manager, has now identified the three games that he believes cost his side the title.
The Three Draws That Cost Arsenal the Title
The Gunners’ title challenge began to unravel in April with three consecutive draws: 2-2 at Liverpool, 2-2 at West Ham and 3-3 against Southampton at the Emirates. Arteta believes that it was these three results and the manner in which they happened that ultimately killed off Arsenal’s title challenge, with his side throwing away 2-0 leads against the Reds and the Irons before struggling against the woeful Saints who finished bottom of the table.
Injuries to Key Players
Injuries to key players, especially William Saliba, had a huge effect on the side and as a result it is no surprise to see Arteta delve back into transfer market to strengthen his squad. Several big, expensive names are expected to arrive at the Emirates this summer, with Kai Havertz set to join from Chelsea, while a deal for West Ham captain Declan Rice is in the works.
Manchester City’s Unstoppable Form
Of course, Arsenal’s collapse wasn’t the only reason why City won the title, with Pep Guardiola’s side near-unstoppable following the turn of the year, winning 29 and losing just four of their 39 games across all competitions since the end of the World Cup. Arteta added: ‘And then our opponent was the best team in the world; the best squad in the world; the best coach in the world. We had to accept that and shake hands with the champions.’
Conclusion
It is clear that Arsenal were unfortunate to come up against such a formidable opponent in Manchester City, but their own mistakes and injuries cost them dearly. Mikel Arteta will be hoping that his side can learn from their mistakes and mount a serious title challenge this season.