Mikel Arteta denied Sunday’s win at Chelsea was a statement victory in the title race, but admits it is a step in the right direction for his side.
Arsenal claimed a third consecutive Premier League victory at Stamford Bridge with the 1-0 win arguably the most important of them all.
Gabriel’s close-range finish ensured the Gunner’s climbed back above Manchester City to take top spot and passed another huge test of their title credentials.
Arteta was visibly ecstatic at full-time and the Gunners boss admitted the victory over their London rivals is a big step forward for his side.
“It’s not a statement [win] for us,” Arteta said in an exclusive interview with talkSPORT.
“It’s another step forward to prove to ourselves that we can do it – that we can play at this level against these players and team and hopefully we can have more belief.”
Arteta also praised Arsenal’s ability to cope with the demands of a London derby so quickly after their Europa League exploits on Thursday night.
He added: “They’re a really young team and I think today they played like a really mature team with composure, determination, quality and with courage to do it in this scenario.
“They’re the steps we have to take as a team and I think today we have taken those steps.
“Keeping the clean sheet and our defensive performance was really important.
“We won in a different context today against a top team in a very difficult stadium with heavy rain at 12 o’clock after playing on Thursday night but we still managed to win.”
Arsenal face Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday followed by a trip to Wolves next weekend before a number of his stars head off to the World Cup.
When quizzed on whether the World Cup break would halt the Gunners’ momentum Arteta revealed he would use the time for his players to rest
“I cannot stop that [timing of the World Cup]. I don’t have a say in anything for sure. It was planned like that. We’ll take it the best possible way but we will have some rest to prepare for when we are back.
“Now the focus is Wednesday and Sunday. Let’s get the job done like we are doing and think about the next step.”
Arsenal have passed a number of tests this season but former Gunner Perry Groves has warned January could prove to be a difficult month for them.
“At the end of January, then I think we’ll have a better idea because there’s some really difficult fixtures in January. I think it’s Newcastle at home, Spurs away, Manchester United at home,” said Groves.
“If you get to the end of that period and you’re still in contention. If you’re level points with Man City or a point behind, then you would say ‘Yes Arsenal are in the title race. But the squad depth worries me just a little bit.”
Arsenal’s tough January
Newcastle (H) – January 3
Tottenham (A) – January 14
Manchester United (H) – January 21
Although there’s relative calm in the Arsenal camp about their title credentials there’s no doubt they’ve made huge progress.
They’re proving many wrong, including Gary Neville, who said a fourth-placed finish was the best Arteta could manage at the Emirates Stadium.
“If they finish fourth, that’s in some ways as good as it gets,” Neville said on The Overlap.
“There’s Pep [Guardiola], [Jurgen] Klopp, Manchester United and Chelsea, where can they go? They’re not going to compete.
“Mikel Arteta is a brilliant coach… I love that we’re seeing a team that he’s getting the maximum out of – I can see exactly how he wants to play, we all can.
“But he gets to fourth [and] if he was really hard about it, he’d probably say ‘right, that’s the best I can do there, I’m going now and getting my next job’.”
But it seems the next job Arteta is worried about is getting three points at Wolves to ensure his side remains top of the table before the season is put on pause.
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News Summary:
- Arsenal are proving Gary Neville wrong but Mikel Arteta downplays win over Chelsea amid title talk while former Gunner warns of tough fixtures in January
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.