STOP THE COUNT! WHY ARSENAL ARE NOW OFFICIALLY THE FAVORITES FOR THE LEAGUE
Arsenal move seven points clear at the top! Despite a late injury to Bukayo Saka, the Gunners dismantled Leeds 4-0 at Elland Road.
Arsenal now sit seven points clear of Manchester City and Aston Villa, both of whom play on Sunday. Arteta’s team keep pushing, and today they took another big step toward the title at Elland Road.
Last weekend’s loss to Manchester United—Arsenal’s first home defeat all season—capped a rough patch. They’d only managed two points from their last three league games. People started to wonder: after three straight years as runners-up, do Arteta’s players have the mentality to see it through and win the league finally?
Things looked shaky before the match even started. Bukayo Saka picked up an injury in the warm-up, forcing a late change. But Noni Madueke, his replacement, stepped up. He helped hand Leeds just their second defeat in 12 games. Madueke swung in a cross, Martin Zubimendi met it with his head, and Arsenal were in front. Not long after, Leeds keeper Karl Darlow could only push another dangerous ball from Madueke into his own net. Arsenal went into halftime with a comfortable lead.
Leeds have been playing well lately, but they’re still just six points above the drop. Today’s loss was their first at home since November. Viktor Gyokeres, who’s taken plenty of criticism, smashed in his 11th goal since joining from Sporting Lisbon, finishing off Martinelli’s cross. Gabriel Jesus came off the bench and put the game to bed with a rocket four minutes from the end.
Looking ahead, Arsenal will be hoping local rivals Spurs can trip up City when they visit north London, while Villa take on Brentford. Over at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea could break into the top four if they keep up their strong start under Liam Rosenior against West Ham.
Liverpool, meanwhile, is hoping to take some pressure off Arne Slot when it hosts Newcastle in Saturday’s late kickoff.
Elsewhere, Everton grabbed a dramatic 1-1 draw at Brighton thanks to Beto’s equaliser in the 97th minute. Honestly, the result doesn’t do much for either team’s European hopes. Brighton had gone ahead through Pascal Gross, who scored his first since coming back from Borussia Dortmund.
Bournemouth, on the other hand, put any relegation fears to bed. Eli Kroupi and Alex Scott scored in a 2-0 win over bottom-club Wolves. That result moves the Cherries up to 12th—and a comfortable 13 points clear of the drop.
WHAT IS THE "AURA" MIKEL ARTETA SEES IN BUKAYO SAKA’S RECENT PERFORMANCES?
"He shifts momentum." Read Mikel Arteta’s full analysis of Bukayo Saka’s importance ahead of the crucial West Ham showdown.
Mikel Arteta sees something special in Bukayo Saka’s presence on the pitch, an “aura” that he believes could drive Arsenal toward a Premier League title, just three games away from ending a 22-year wait.
During Saka’s recent absence with an Achilles injury, Arsenal managed only a single win in five matches. His return, however, seemed to breathe new life into the squad. Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener before scoring himself in a solid 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
More crucially, Saka netted the decisive goal that helped Arsenal secure a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, booking their first Champions League final appearance since 2006.
Since making his debut for the Gunners seven years ago, the England international now carries the hopes of pushing Arsenal for vital points, starting with a key clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium, followed by matches against Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away on the season’s final day.
When asked about Saka’s importance, Arteta highlighted the growing role he plays not just within the team but also in how opponents see him. There’s a clear presence, a certain quality that sets him apart. According to Arteta, Saka can shift a game’s momentum at any time, and instilling that kind of respect or even fear in the opposition is invaluable.
Arteta also touched on managing Saka’s comeback after injury, emphasising the idea of channelling fresh energy and motivation into his performance rather than rushing him back too soon. He described it as a privilege to have a player like Saka, someone who embodies core values and principles, both on and off the pitch. Beyond the football, there’s a human connection that makes working with him rewarding. What Saka showed, especially in the recent Champions League semifinal, was nothing short of remarkable.
Alongside Saka, Declan Rice has also become a pivotal figure since his £100 million move from West Ham last year. Now 27, Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season when Arsenal faces his former club on Sunday. His impact has been significant, earning him runner-up in the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award behind Bruno Fernandes.
Arteta praised Rice as a key leader and a major force for the team, underlining the powerful role he plays as Arsenal chase success this season.
WHY DID JURRIEN TIMBER’S "SIMPLE" INJURY TURN INTO A SEASON-ENDING MEDICAL MYSTERY?
After reaching the Champions League final, Arsenal face a fitness race for key stars ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are running out of time to get fit before the season ends – a tough setback for Arsenal right now.
Both have been out for weeks, dealing with foot and ankle injuries. The hope was always that they’d be back for the final stretch, giving Arsenal a boost when it matters most. This week, Merino at least made it back onto the training pitch, but Arteta has confirmed neither he nor Timber will be involved in Sunday’s big match against West Ham.
Arteta said he has no new injury problems elsewhere, but for Merino or Timber to play before the end of the season, their recoveries would have to be almost perfect. Timber’s situation in particular has turned out to be more complicated than they first thought.
“That’s probably been the hardest part for everyone. For me, for the player,” Arteta said. “We really didn’t think it would take this long, and he’s still not ready.”
Meanwhile, things are going well for Arsenal on the pitch. They’ve pulled five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and they just beat Atletico Madrid, booking a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades.
There’s still a twist, though. Manchester City play Brentford first this weekend, and they still have a game in hand. Even so, if Arsenal win their last three matches, the title is theirs.
Next up is West Ham, who are fighting to avoid relegation and could easily trip Arsenal up. Arteta knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups. “After the Atletico win, I was completely caught up in the emotion. You could feel what it meant to everyone fans and the staff. But straight after, my focus went to West Ham,” he said.
“We talked as a team about how we’ve earned the chance to be in the final, and we have time to get ready, but right now, all our focus and all the details need to go into West Ham.”
