TITLE RACE ON: MIKEL ARTETA ENDORSES CHELSEA, GIVES INJURY UPDATE
Mikel Arteta calls Chelsea a title threat and praises their style ahead of the London derby. Get the latest on Trossard, Havertz, and Jesus injuries. Preview inside.
Ahead of Sunday's match against Chelsea, Mikel Arteta said he believes they deserve to be in the Premier League title conversation.
The Arsenal manager has often praised Enzo Maresca's team and enjoys watching them play. Arsenal heads to Stamford Bridge with a six-point advantage over their London rivals.
Past Praise for Chelsea
Arteta has never been shy about praising one of Arsenal's biggest rivals. When they last played in March, he called Chelsea the best attacking team in the league by a mile, even though Arsenal won 1-0.
During his pre-match press conference, Arteta stood by his previous comments about Chelsea. He also said they are real contenders for the Premier League title this year.
Arteta on Chelsea's Title Chances
When asked if Chelsea deserves to be considered title challengers, Arteta responded, I think we are all in the mix, and they are there because they've earned it over the past few years. They have a great squad with a lot of talent, and the positive things happening there are well-deserved.
When asked if he still thinks Chelsea has the best attack in the league, he said, They were last season, but it's too early to say this year.
But they're one of my favourite teams to watch. They have a smooth style of play, a lot of attacking threat, and a lot of individual talent. They know exactly what they want to do, which makes them very tough to play against.
Injury Updates
Arteta gave an update on the injury status of some of his players.
Leandro Trossard is waiting for another test on a calf injury he picked up during Arsenal's Champions League win against Bayern Munich in the week. The returns of Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz depend on repeat scans on hamstring and knee issues, respectively.
When asked about the scans, Arteta said, They're not completely clear yet, but they're getting close. We're optimistic about both of them.
He also updated on Gabriel Jesus, who played in a behind-closed-doors game against Watford on Thursday. It was Jesus' first game since having knee surgery in January.
Arteta said Jesus is very close to returning to the first team, adding, We're watching how he reacts to the increased workload, and he needs to get back into the team's rhythm. Game situations are very different from training, and we're trying to close that gap as quickly as possible.
Chelsea and Arsenal's Good Form
Arsenal's strong squad has helped them deal with recent injuries. Arteta praised his players' preparation after their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich, which was their most impressive result in a 16-game unbeaten run since losing 1-0 to Liverpool in August.
Chelsea also had a big European win this week, beating Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. They've been playing well in recent weeks, scoring eight goals and conceding two in their last three games.
Sunday's game feels important for the title race. If Chelsea plays as well as Arteta believes they can, it could create a three-way title race with Manchester City. But if Arsenal wins, they'll have a nine-point lead, which is significant even with a lot of the season left. They also have the league's best attack and defence.
THE NORTH LONDON KING: HOW EBERECHI EZE BECAME A DERBY LEGEND IN FOUR MONTHS
Mikel Arteta insists Eberechi Eze "belongs" at Arsenal as the Gunners continue their historic hunt for a 2026 quadruple.
Mikel Arteta says Eberechi Eze doesn’t need any extra motivation as he settles in at Arsenal after leaving Crystal Palace.
Back in November, Eze made headlines by becoming the first player to score a Premier League hat-trick in a north London derby. He starred last Sunday again, scoring twice as Arsenal tore through Tottenham 4-1.
Still, Eze’s form between those two big games has been up and down. Arteta admits he’s still learning what makes Eze tick, both on the pitch and off it.
“Motivation’s never been an issue,” Arteta said. “Honestly, if you have to motivate a player, you’ve got a problem. Motivation’s just talk; someone can fire you up for a minute, maybe an hour, but that’s it.
“The real motivation for Eze is why he came here in the first place. He really feels like he belongs at this club. Everything else comes down to the moments in your career, especially when you move somewhere new. You’ve got to figure it out and do everything you can to make it work.”
Eze faced some criticism after a mistake in December’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, and since Arsenal beat Wolves in mid-December, he’s only started two league games.
He’s always tended to find his best attacking form later in the season, and Arteta wants to see that happen again, especially with Arsenal still fighting for a historic quadruple.
Arteta hasn’t ruled out moving Eze back to the left wing down the line. “He can do it,” he said. “Now he’s got more experience, more games, and a better sense of what’s needed to make a difference. I hope he really takes off from here until the end of the season.”
Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres scored Arsenal’s other two goals against Spurs, bringing his total to 15 in all competitions after a slow start since joining from Sporting Lisbon last summer.
Some have started comparing Gyokeres’ numbers to Didier Drogba’s first season at Chelsea. Drogba finished that year with just one more goal and went on to haunt Arsenal for years.
Asked if those comparisons are fair, Arteta shrugged. “It’s always about who you compare with. I might have a beautiful apartment, but if someone else has a mansion, suddenly my place feels small.
“But I can still be proud because I worked hard for my apartment, paid off the debts, fixed it up, and have a great kitchen. Then I visit his mansion and feel bad. It just depends on how you look at things.
“So sure, Viktor can get better. But what he’s done so far matters.”
DEFENSIVE EVOLUTION: HOW PIERO HINCAPIE’S VERSATILITY PUSHED HIM AHEAD OF RICCARDO CALAFIORI RECENTLY
Permanent stay: Discover why Arsenal are triggering Piero Hincapie's £45m clause and opening talks for Milan's Rafael Leao.
Arsenal looks set to make Piero Hincapie’s move from Bayer Leverkusen permanent this summer. The club plans to trigger their £45 million option and tie down the Ecuadorian defender after he caught Mikel Arteta’s eye in his first six months at the Emirates.
Hincapie joined Arsenal on deadline day last September, with the Gunners beating Spurs to sign the 24-year-old. Since then, he’s racked up 15 Premier League starts and featured twice in the Champions League. Arteta’s been pretty clear he wants Hincapie to stay, and he’s happy with how the defender has settled since arriving late from Leverkusen.
Lately, Hincapie has started Arsenal’s last three league games, including that 4-1 win over Tottenham in the North London derby. Arteta picked him ahead of both Ricardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Hincapie grabbed his first Arsenal goal in the 2-2 draw at Wolves last week, just after notching his first assist against Brentford.
While Arsenal are still chasing a potential quadruple, the club’s already thinking about next season’s squad. Reports say they’ve set their sights on AC Milan’s Rafael Leao and even opened talks for the Portuguese winger. Leao will have two years left on his Milan contract in June, and Milan could let him go if they get close to their €80 million (£70 million) asking price. Leao’s been one of Milan’s top scorers this season with eight goals in Serie A.
So, what does all this mean for Myles Lewis-Skelly? With Arsenal set to keep Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly faces even tougher competition for minutes, especially with Calafiori and Hincapie ahead of him. Unless something changes, a loan move might be the best way for him to get regular football and keep developing. Still, training alongside established players like Hincapie could help him grow and get ready for more chances down the line.
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