Under pressure Mikel Arteta accused of ‘getting excuses in early’ with bizarre Arsenal Premier League title rival claim

talkSPORT host Adrian Durham insists ‘nobody believes’ Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s claim the Premier League could be won by as many as nine teams. Speaking on Tuesday in Singapore ahead of a pre-season clash against AC Milan, Arteta believed he finally struck the ‘right balance’ in his squad to end the Gunners’ two-decade wait for a league title. AFPArteta is hoping to achieve Premier League glory for the first time since the 2003/04 campaign[/caption] “Every year we have to see how things develop, but I see the right balance in terms of maturity, experience, youth, hunger – all these ingredients are there,” Arteta said. “The thing is there are another six, seven, eight clubs in the league that have the right ingredients to win and there is only going to be one winner. “So we have to focus a lot on the things that we can control, that we can do, to achieve what we want at the end of the season.” However, talkSPORT pundit Durham took exception to Arteta’s statement about the chasing pack and believed it was clear proof the Spaniard is already looking to protect himself should Arsenal fall short in the title race once again. “He’s getting the excuses in early,” Durham told talkSPORT Breakfast. “He’s a fella who is under massive pressure to deliver. “Not many managers get the time he has had, and the money he has had at Arsenal. “If he doesn’t deliver this season, then even the fans might turn against him. It’s a big one for Mikel Arteta. “Ive no idea why he’s saying that. Nobody believes a word of it. “There’s no way you could pick out eight teams and say they’ve got a chance of winning the title. The Spaniard has come under fire for his comments over how open the title race isGetty “Three, maybe four (teams), but there’s no way you could pick out eight title rivals. Is that a man under pressure already?” The 2025/26 campaign looms as a make-or-break one for Arteta. Aside from the FA Cup in 2020, Arteta has failed to land any further silverware at Arsenal. The Gunners have finished second in the league for three seasons on the bounce and have failed to progress beyond the fourth round of the FA Cup since they last won it. Who have Arsenal signed? Arteta has also been heavily backed in the transfer market, with Arsenal having forked out approximately £803million on transfers since the 2020/21 season. Nearly £124m of that has been spent this summer, with Arteta landing the signatures of Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga. talkSPORTArteta has been heavily backed but only has one trophy to show for his troubles[/caption] But that figure is set to skyrocket even further as talkSPORT understands the Gunners have agreed a €63.5million [£55m] deal with €10m [£8.7m] in add-ons for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres. Gyokeres’ impending arrival at the Emirates will appease Arsenal supporters who had been clamouring for the club to sign an out-and-out striker. Arteta had not signed a traditional centre-forward since he took charge of the Gunners in December 2019. Gabriel Jesus was used as a striker and a right winger by Manchester City before his switch to the Emirates in the summer of 2022. German international Kai Havertz arrived as an attacking midfielder following his arrival from Chelsea in June 2023 but has since been transformed into a centre-forward under Arteta. Gunners fans will hope Gyokeres can replicate his absurd goalscoring form of last season given no Arsenal player scored more than ten league goals. Havertz finished as Arsenal’s leading goalscorer in the Premier League last term with a tally of nine, although he missed 14 games due to a mix of illness and injury.

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Under pressure Mikel Arteta accused of ‘getting excuses in early’ with bizarre Arsenal Premier League title rival claim

talkSPORT host Adrian Durham insists ‘nobody believes’ Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s claim the Premier League could be won by as many as nine teams.

Speaking on Tuesday in Singapore ahead of a pre-season clash against AC Milan, Arteta believed he finally struck the ‘right balance’ in his squad to end the Gunners’ two-decade wait for a league title.

Arteta is hoping to achieve Premier League glory for the first time since the 2003/04 campaign[/caption]

“Every year we have to see how things develop, but I see the right balance in terms of maturity, experience, youth, hunger – all these ingredients are there,” Arteta said.

“The thing is there are another six, seven, eight clubs in the league that have the right ingredients to win and there is only going to be one winner.

“So we have to focus a lot on the things that we can control, that we can do, to achieve what we want at the end of the season.”

However, talkSPORT pundit Durham took exception to Arteta’s statement about the chasing pack and believed it was clear proof the Spaniard is already looking to protect himself should Arsenal fall short in the title race once again.

“He’s getting the excuses in early,” Durham told talkSPORT Breakfast.

“He’s a fella who is under massive pressure to deliver.

“Not many managers get the time he has had, and the money he has had at Arsenal.

“If he doesn’t deliver this season, then even the fans might turn against him. It’s a big one for Mikel Arteta.

“Ive no idea why he’s saying that. Nobody believes a word of it.

“There’s no way you could pick out eight teams and say they’ve got a chance of winning the title.

The Spaniard has come under fire for his comments over how open the title race is

“Three, maybe four (teams), but there’s no way you could pick out eight title rivals. Is that a man under pressure already?”

The 2025/26 campaign looms as a make-or-break one for Arteta.

Aside from the FA Cup in 2020, Arteta has failed to land any further silverware at Arsenal.

The Gunners have finished second in the league for three seasons on the bounce and have failed to progress beyond the fourth round of the FA Cup since they last won it.

Who have Arsenal signed?

Arteta has also been heavily backed in the transfer market, with Arsenal having forked out approximately £803million on transfers since the 2020/21 season.

Nearly £124m of that has been spent this summer, with Arteta landing the signatures of Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Arteta has been heavily backed but only has one trophy to show for his troubles[/caption]

But that figure is set to skyrocket even further as talkSPORT understands the Gunners have agreed a €63.5million [£55m] deal with €10m [£8.7m] in add-ons for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres’ impending arrival at the Emirates will appease Arsenal supporters who had been clamouring for the club to sign an out-and-out striker.

Arteta had not signed a traditional centre-forward since he took charge of the Gunners in December 2019.

Gabriel Jesus was used as a striker and a right winger by Manchester City before his switch to the Emirates in the summer of 2022.

German international Kai Havertz arrived as an attacking midfielder following his arrival from Chelsea in June 2023 but has since been transformed into a centre-forward under Arteta.

Gunners fans will hope Gyokeres can replicate his absurd goalscoring form of last season given no Arsenal player scored more than ten league goals.

Havertz finished as Arsenal’s leading goalscorer in the Premier League last term with a tally of nine, although he missed 14 games due to a mix of illness and injury.