Mikel Arteta has issued a defiant rallying cry to his Arsenal squad, challenging them to shatter a daunting historical pattern and clinch their first Premier League crown in over two decades as they enter the New Year at the summit.
The New Year's Day Hoodoo Arsenal Must Overcome
The Gunners begin 2026 with a four-point cushion at the top of the table, a position of strength forged before the turn of the year. However, history casts a long shadow over their ambitions. Arsenal have failed to win the title in each of the previous five occasions they have finished a calendar year top of the Premier League.
Those painful near-misses occurred in 2003, 2008, 2014, 2016, and most recently in 2023. The sole exception in their modern history was the legendary 2004 'Invincibles' triumph. The memory of the 2022-23 campaign, where they led for a staggering 248 days only to be overtaken by Manchester City with six games remaining, remains particularly raw.
Arteta's Battle Cry: 'Let's Break It'
When confronted with this sobering statistic, the Arsenal manager's response was unequivocal. "Let's break it," declared Arteta, channelling the belief he sees in his players daily. "That's what they transmit every single day when they're with us, training in every match. You can see their desire. You can see the energy that they put in, how much they want it. And that's what we need."
Emphasising the long road ahead, Arteta added, "That's still five months to go and take it day by day. Enjoy that process of being where we are and go for it." Arsenal's position was strengthened after title rivals Manchester City dropped points in a draw with Sunderland on Thursday.
Injury Concern for Key Man Declan Rice
Amidst the title talk, a significant cloud hangs over the squad ahead of Saturday's league fixture against Bournemouth. Midfielder Declan Rice is a major doubt due to a knee injury sustained during last weekend's 2-1 victory over Brighton.
Although Rice travelled with the squad for the midweek 4-1 win over Aston Villa, he was not deemed fit enough to be included on the bench. Arteta provided an update, stating, "Well, not yet [the swelling has not gone down], and we have another session today. Let's see how he goes today and how that's feeling, but it was too early that game for him."
Defending the decision not to substitute Rice immediately when he first felt the issue against Brighton, the manager explained, "No, no, no. He managed to do it [carry on]. That's normal sometimes. You get a hit and throughout the game you are able, with adrenaline and because you are warm, to sustain that. And then the body reacts, and it reacted probably more than we expected, unfortunately. That's where we are."
The coming months present a monumental dual challenge for Arteta and his team: overcoming a psychological barrier woven into Premier League history while navigating the physical demands of a title run-in, potentially without one of their most influential players.
