A win over Everton this weekend will ensure that Arsenal sit on top of the Premier League table over Christmas. This will not come as a new feeling to the Gunners, though, as they have been the festive league leaders on four previous occasions, including in 2022 and 2023.
It is often considered a good omen to be at the top of the tree at Christmas, as many clubs that occupy top spot go on to win the league. Indeed, it has happened on 17 of 33 occasions since the foundation of the Premier League. It has not happened once for Arsenal, though, and their two recent slip-ups have given them something of a reputation as league bottlers.
Mikel Arteta will be wondering how to ensure history does not repeat itself, as it could put his position under some pressure. Although the Spaniard is very unlikely to read our suggestions, we wanted to write down how Arsenal can best avoid extending their title drought.
Current Situation
After 16 games played each, Arsenal enjoy a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. Fellow credible title challengers, Manchester City, occupy second place while surprise climbers Aston Villa sit in third, three points behind the Gunners. As good as Villa’s form has been, the title race does seem to be solely between Arsenal and Man City at this stage.
| Team | Title Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 4/6 | 60% |
| Man City | 13/8 | 39% |
| Aston Villa | 28/1 | 3.4% |
This is a good position for the Gunners to be in, but one they could easily let slip if they do not play their cards right.
What Arsenal Need to Do
Here is our three-point plan that will maximise Arsenal’s chances of winning the 2025/26 Premier League title.
1. Change the Training Routine
Footballers get injured; it’s an inevitable part of the game. The physical nature of athletes pushing themselves hard over the course of 90 minutes will always result in some players limping off. However, Arsenal’s squad is being decimated by injury at a rate far higher than is normal. When injuries are as frequent as they have been, you cannot just blame it on misfortune. The likelihood is that training intensity/methods have played their role in Arsenal’s injury-laden season
Since the start of last season, Arsenal have been the first and only Premier League team to reach 100 separate injury incidents. Only two other clubs have reached 90 (Brighton and Tottenham), showing just how bad the situation is. Fortunately, Mikel Arteta has a fairly deep squad at his disposal, but having so many players out injured risks fatiguing the players left available.
Without getting a full look behind the scenes, it is hard to know exactly what is going wrong, but something needs to change. If Arsenal are going to keep results up for another five months, they need to find a way to keep players in better health. This could mean reduced training loads, alternative recovery methods, or even bringing in new medical staff.
2. Cook Up a Rice Alternative
Arsenal’s squad is so well-balanced that there is little need for much activity in the transfer window. The only area where further investment would really benefit them is in central midfield. So far this season, Declan Rice has clocked up 1,744 minutes across Arsenal appearances, plus over 400 for England. Although not a perfect like-for-like alternative, Christian Norgaard was brought in during the summer to bolster Arsenal’s defensive midfield options. The trouble is, it seems as though Arteta does not trust the Dane and is subsequently reluctant to start him in order to give Rice a rest.
In an ideal world, if money allows, Arsenal would sign a quality midfielder who could provide reliable cover for Rice. Although the Englishman is far from injury-prone, the risk is that he could burn out playing so often. Should this happen, it would have a real detrimental impact on the team, given his importance in the heart of the pitch.
3. No Obligation to Start Gyökeres
For many transfer windows, it seemed that all Arsenal were missing was a top-tier out-and-out striker. So, when the Gunners coughed up £64m on Viktor Gyökeres, it seemed that they had finally found the missing piece of the jigsaw. Unfortunately, the Swede has not enjoyed a great start to life in North London. He has only scored in four Premier League games of the 14 he has been involved in, and all of them were clashes against relegation candidates.
When spending a lot of money on a marquee signing, managers can feel a sense of obligation to keep picking them. This does not seem optimal in Arsenal’s case, though. Although Gyökeres is useful to have for his off-the-ball runs, in some matches at least, it would be better to start Merino up top. It is a bold move to bench your striker for an out-of-position midfielder, but it would be to Arsenal’s advantage. Kai Havertz is another who should also be considered as a preferred pick, when the German returns from injury. He is a better fit for Arteta’s system and last season registered more shots and xG (per 90 minutes), than Gyokeres is currently managing.
Time will tell whether the Gunners will finally land their first Premier League title since the Arsène Wenger days. But if they don’t, their fans will be asking some serious questions of the current boss, Mikel Arteta, if not the owners too.