Mikel Arteta details what Arsenal must do in order to win the Premier League title this season
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has claimed that his side would have to 'break more records' to win the 2024-25 Premier League title. The Spaniard, who will be entering his fifth season in charge of the Gunners, noted that a greater push would be needed to break Manchester City's stranglehold on the title.
Since 2017, Pep Guardiola's City have lost just one league title, to Liverpool, in the 2019-20 season. Arteta himself was part of City's first two title-winning campaigns as an assistant manager, before being handed the head coaching role at Arsenal.
The 42-year-old took over a stumbling Gunners side but has successfully managed to rebuild them into title contenders. However, they have been City's bridesmaids for the past two campaigns, falling just short of the title due to their rivals' sheer dominance.
They fell short by a whisker last season, finishing on 89 points and losing out on the title by just two points. Arteta claimed that the tally set in the previous season wouldn't be enough to see them finally top the English pyramid 21 years after their Invincible campaign.
In a press conference before Arsenal's opening game of the 2024-25 season against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arteta said (via France24):
"(We will have to) Break more of those records again, earn more points, for sure. It (89 points) won't be enough. With the level we are competing with and every season is getting harder, we are going to have to improve again. I don't know what perfect is but it has to be very close to the numbers that we've seen in recent years."
With the addition of Bologna's Riccardo Calafiori to their defensive stocks, the Gunners will be prime contenders for the 2024-25 Premier League title.
"We're going to do it" - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reveals the motivation in his squad to push for the 2024-25 EPL title
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta revealed that his squad promised him they would do everything in their power to push for the 2024-25 Premier League title.
The Gunners' squad convened at a dinner just hours after losing out on the 2023-24 league title to Manchester City. Although Arteta's side beat Everton 2-1 on the final day of the season, City's 3-1 win over West Ham United secured their sixth title in seven years.
Despite losing the league in heart-breaking fashion, the Spaniard revealed that his side promised to improve and finally break City's dominance in the following season. Recalling his squad's words, he said (via Daily Mail):
"(They have been hungry) since the last day (of the season). We had a gathering together with all the club players and the players were saying to me, 'We're going to be better, we're going to do it, we want more'. They are the ones driving that ambition. So that's always positive."
Arsenal will take on Wolves in their opening Premier League fixture at the Emirates on August 17.