Mikel Arteta challenges Arsenal to break ‘grizzly’ New Year statistic

Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to defy a persistent historical pattern and secure their first Premier League title in over two decades, despite a commanding four-point lead at the top of the table.

The Gunners’ emphatic 4-1 victory over Aston Villa, coupled with Manchester City’s goalless draw at Sunderland, has put them in a strong position as the new year begins.

However, this promising start comes with a stark historical caveat. On five previous occasions over the past 23 years, Arsenal have ended the calendar year atop the Premier League, only to ultimately fall short of lifting the trophy.

The most recent instance occurred just three seasons ago, when Arteta’s side finished five points adrift of eventual champions Manchester City. The club, whose last league triumph was in 2004, has also finished as runners-up in the last three consecutive campaigns.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s match at Bournemouth, Arteta stated he was unaware of the "grizzly statistic" but remained resolute. "Let’s break it," he insisted.

"That’s what the players transmit every single day when they’re with us, training, and in every match. You can see their desire. You can see the energy that they put in, and how much they want it." He added a note of caution, reminding that "there are still five months to go. Let’s take it day-by-day, enjoy that process of being where we are, and go for it."

The manager’s optimism comes despite a season plagued by high-profile injuries, which led him to describe his squad as being in "survival mode" just last month. While key defender Gabriel and attackers Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have since returned to fitness, the team could still be without influential midfielder Declan Rice for the trip to the south coast.

Rice’s absence against Villa marked the first league game he had missed this season. His knee injury was sustained while playing as an emergency right-back against Brighton on December 27, where he completed the full match despite picking up the knock in the first half.

Providing an update on Rice’s condition, Arteta revealed: "Not yet, but we have another training session today. Let’s see how he goes and how his knee is feeling, but it (the match against Villa) was too early for him."

He elaborated on the nature of the injury: "You get a hit, and during the game you are able with adrenaline, and because you are warm, to sustain that. But then the body reacts, and it reacted probably more than we expected."

Despite these individual setbacks, Arteta noted an overall improvement in the club’s injury record. "But looking back at the past three seasons, we have less days of injuries than before. We had injuries that you have to separate, the traumatic ones, and the ones that are minor injuries. We have to improve on that, but we are better than some other years."

Looking ahead to the January transfer window, Arteta confirmed the club’s intention to seek new additions, despite having spent £250 million on eight summer signings.

He stated on Friday: "We are open to every option. Obviously, if we can find a solution that is short, medium or long-term, it is always much better because it gives you stability and you don’t have to start a process with a new player. But let’s see what happens in the next few weeks, and we’ll try to make the right decision."