One theme of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal reign has been his public desire to take the Gunners back to the top.
It is an ambition he has made clear since his first day in the Emirates hot-seat and as Arsenal are now one of the three sides vying for the title this term, it would be fair to say that Arteta has already made good on his promise. Of course, actually winning the thing will cement his status as a Gunners icon, but to be back in the conversation after years in the Europa League wilderness. is a huge step in the right direction.
It may surprise some, but the Spaniard himself has always backed the north Londoners to re-establish themselves as the force they once were. That much was evident during a post-match interview following a 2-1 victory over then-Champions Liverpool.
The Reds had waltzed to the title that term but were on the wrong end of a shock scoreline in the red half of north London. After the game, Arteta issued a notably honest assessment of the game. Where many managers may have waxed lyrical about their players after a win, the Arsenal boss discussed how far the Gunners were away from Liverpool.
Asked how big of a job he had on his hands, Arteta explained: "Massive, you only have to look at the difference between the two teams today and the gap is enormous.
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"But, the gap in many areas we cannot improve it in two months. But the gap between the accountability, the energy, the commitment and the fight between the two teams now is equal. Before, it wasn't like this - the rest will take some time, but at least that, we've got it now and my message to the players is now we can create something."
Some time has certainly passed, but now it's not just the fight between the two is equal - the quality is also neck and neck. Liverpool may still be superior in the eyes of some and the Reds boast a two-point advantage at the top of the table, but there is not much in it nowadays.
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Mikel Arteta issued an interesting post-match press conference after Arsenal's win over Liverpool in 2020Of the 11 that started that win, just four remain on the books, though Kieran Tierney is currently out on loan with Real Sociedad. Arteta has overseen a remarkable transformation and culled the Arsenal squad of the bulk of its deadwood.
In place of a back four that contained David Luiz and Rob Holding are now two of the league's best centre-backs in William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. An attacking line-up that was once Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe has been replaced by Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, with Gabriel Martinelli on the other flank.
Having come so close last term, Arsenal are still in with more than a fighting chance of ending their two-decade wait for a title and realising Arteta's lofty ambitions.
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