Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made a clear admission on the Premier League title race before heading to Tottenham for a North London Derby
14:07, 20 Feb 2026Updated 14:45, 20 Feb 2026
Mikel Arteta has delivered a new Arsenal Premier League title race verdict(Image: (Photo by Ryan Browne/Shutterstock))
Mikel Arteta has described Arsenal’s recent Premier League title setbacks as a “shock to the system”. The Gunners have drawn their last two matches, but remain top of the table and clear of Manchester City by five points heading into the North London Derby against Tottenham, albeit having now played an extra game.
On the recent title race setbacks, specifically the draw at Wolves, Arteta said: “Not enough to the standards that we required. It’s a shock to the system. We wanted to get the victory, we couldn’t but we have to move on.
“What I have seen is a tremendous reaction and no surprise at all. When you lose points in a very unpredictable manner, is no one can really understand that.
“That was a chapter, chapter 27 says we draw against Wolves in this manner, what I am interested in is the next one. Writing our own destiny, life moves on.”
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Arsenal play after Man City host Newcastle United this weekend and could therefore be just two points clear at the summit by the time 4:30pm on Sunday arrives.
Pep Guardiola’s side also play first the following weekend, as they head to Leeds United on Saturday evening, with the Gunners on at the same as this weekend for another London derby against Chelsea.
Having key players available for those two games and beyond will be a significant boost and Arteta looks set to receive that, judging by his injury update on Friday.
He said: Well, we have to wait until tomorrow but there is a big possibility that they [Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard] are available.”
Arsenal star Leandro Trossard is available to face Tottenham despite being forced off against Wolves(Image: Getty Images)
Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka were both forced off in the stalemate at Molineux, but Arteta confirmed that no injuries were suffered.
The former looked to have suffered a concussion in his brief cameo off the bench while Saka required treatment before going off.
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For their Sunday opponents, it is a very different scenario with new interim head coach Igor Tudor potentially seeing more injury absentees emerge.
When asked if any of the 11 senior players unavailable could return, he said: “Probably no, [Dominic] Solanke has some problem with his throat but he made two days training. All the others, some are next week.”
Tudor added: “In this particular moment with 10 injuries, we trained with 13 players. It is what is is. It’s not fantastic, beautiful but 13 we will have and it is quite enough to achieve what we want on Sunday.”
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.