{"id":597959,"date":"2026-04-21T17:23:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/597959\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T17:23:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:23:17","slug":"the-changes-mikel-arteta-is-making-and-why-all-is-not-lost-for-arsenal-in-premier-league-title-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/597959\/","title":{"rendered":"The changes Mikel Arteta is making \u2013 and why all is not lost for Arsenal in Premier League title race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n

Your support makes all the difference.Read more<\/p>\n

After a game at Manchester City<\/a> that demanded everything, Mikel Arteta<\/a> has given his Arsenal<\/a> players two days off. It could be said that it is needed now more than ever to afford them some breathing space<\/a>, but this was always the plan.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, the mood in the Arsenal dressing room isn\u2019t as devastated as perception would have it. A tone was set <\/a>by Declan Rice<\/a> and Martin Odegaard<\/a> afterwards. They very much feel <\/a>\u201cthis isn\u2019t done\u201d.<\/p>\n

Somewhat ironically, there was actually encouragement from the performance in the 2-1 defeat<\/a>, because it was superior to almost all of Arsenal\u2019s wins in 2026. The players don\u2019t feel they should have lost the game.<\/p>\n

\"MikelMikel Arteta will try to pick his Arsenal side up after the frustration of defeat to title rivals Man City (PA)<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t just follow football \u2013 understand it. Get Miguel\u2019s insights straight to your inbox<\/a><\/p>\n

Arteta and his staff might well say that\u2019s what happens when you have some of your best attackers back \u2013 and there\u2019s still Bukayo Saka<\/a> to return.<\/p>\n

The mood now is fascinating as the long-time leaders attempt to rally for the run-in. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s like the worst has happened<\/a>, but not in the worst way. They didn\u2019t crumble, or collapse. They instead feel a different defiance. That might prove very important given how the last few months have gone.<\/p>\n

After all, Arsenal have essentially been playing with the anxiety of precisely this situation for all that time; of letting their lead slip; of crumbling; of \u201cbottling it\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now it has happened, and it doesn\u2019t feel as bad as was expected. That pressure is now off, as a different pressure ratchets up. Arteta reminded them that the title is still in their hands. There\u2019s a different mood, and maybe a new belief about their football.<\/p>\n

\"ArsenalArsenal suffered a blow against Man City but all is not yet lost (Getty)<\/p>\n

If all of this sounds like positive \u201cspin\u201d \u2013 as one club insider genuinely quipped in relaying it \u2013 there\u2019s a relevant example from modern history. And it comes from the very team they played on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Back at this exact time 14 years ago, City were hoping to end the wait for a first title in 44 years and were suffering through every moment of the 2011-12 run-in. They felt it was lost.<\/p>\n

After bad draws against Stoke City and Sunderland in successive weeks, they finally went eight points behind Manchester United after a 1-0 defeat to\u2026 Arsenal. The goal was even scored by one Mikel Arteta.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe return of Martin Odegaard is seen as a huge positive for the Gunners (Reuters)<\/p>\n

Although that provoked such a bad reaction in the camp that Vincent Kompany and Mario Balotelli had a bust-up, it was almost like it served as a cleanser. Again, the worst had happened, so there was then a new calm.<\/p>\n

The next two games saw them put four past West Brom and six past Norwich City to set up a six-game winning streak culminating in Sergio Aguero\u2019s famous winner.<\/a><\/p>\n

It of course helped that a player of Carlos Tevez\u2019s quality returned after his controversial banishment, to elevate the side but also change the mood. There may also be a parallel in this current Arsenal squad, even if the circumstances are obviously different.<\/p>\n

\"ArtetaArteta scored the only goal as Arsenal beat Man City 1-0 in April 2012 – but City hit back to win the Premier League title on the final day (PA)<\/p>\n

With Odegaard having finally returned to the team, the Gunners are hopeful that Saka will join him in the next week. There is the possibility that these two and Kai Havertz<\/a> could play together for the first time since December 2024.<\/p>\n

That is a long time, especially since this was the trio responsible for an attack that scored 91 goals in the 2023-24 season. It\u2019s not a coincidence Arsenal haven\u2019t looked the same since. With just two of them back, you could immediately see the change of emphasis in their play on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Some of the staff were enthused by Odegaard\u2019s performance, especially with the way it immediately became clear how and why Arteta has him as the player to knit everything together. His influence will only deepen when Saka returns.<\/p>\n

As one source said, Arteta especially missed the winger in the City game for the way he would have been the recipient of David Raya\u2019s long passes on the right to then go one on one against his man. There\u2019s an argument that City\u2019s second goal doesn\u2019t come in the way it did if he is there.<\/p>\n

The timing might also be crucial if this does become a shoot-out for goal difference. Of course, to make that happen, Arsenal have to go and actually win \u2013 and respond. With City now expected to smash Burnley on Wednesday, Arsenal will then face a different type of pressure to beat Newcastle United.<\/p>\n

If that happens, however, the run-in adopts a different rhythm.<\/p>\n

\"BukayoBukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Odegaard haven\u2019t played together since December 2024 (PA)\"ArsenalArsenal now need to pick themselves back up (Getty)<\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t a full-out sprint because of the timing of games. Arsenal will play twice \u2013 at home to Newcastle and Fulham \u2013 before City face Bournemouth the following midweek due to the FA Cup. Such shifts in the table can cause shifts in moods.<\/p>\n

Both clubs will likely face different types of congestion, too. While City face a sudden crunch of trying to accommodate two competitions if they get to an FA Cup final as expected, Arsenal have an emotionally intensive Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.<\/p>\n

That can also go either way in terms of mood. If Arsenal go out, it might be a final deflation. If they go through, and reach a Champions League final for just the second time in their history, there will be a rush of energy through the club.<\/p>\n

It’s also why this two-day break is seen as significant. There’s a sense that Arteta is now doing things a bit differently, that he’s realised the need for some changes. Previously, there had been concerns that Arsenal\u2019s training was too intense, especially as a reaction to bad results. Now, he’s looking at it in a different way. All of Arsenal may have to do the same.<\/p>\n

With the way the season has gone so far, it is unlikely that both Arsenal and City will win all of their remaining games. The stage is set for another couple of twists at least \u2013 and maybe a title climax unlike any in years.<\/p>\n

Go behind the game \u2013 join Miguel Delaney: Inside Football today<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":597960,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[399,260533,260534,403,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-597959","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-soccer","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-manchester-city-v-arsenal-premier-league-etihad-stadium","10":"tag-pa2026","11":"tag-soccer","12":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/597959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=597959"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/597959\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/597960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=597959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=597959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=597959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}