Mikel Arteta has issued a defiant rallying cry to his Arsenal squad, challenging them to finally break a notorious New Year's Day jinx and secure the club's first Premier League crown in over two decades.
The Weight of History on Arsenal's Shoulders
The Gunners enter 2026 sitting four points clear at the summit of the Premier League, a position of strength bolstered by Manchester City's surprise 2-2 draw with Sunderland on Thursday. 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 table.
Those painful near-misses occurred in 2003, 2008, 2014, 2016, and most recently in 2023. The sole exception in recent history was their famous 'Invincibles' triumph in 2004. The heartbreak of the 2022-23 campaign remains particularly raw, where the north London club led for a staggering 248 days only to be overtaken by Manchester City with just six games remaining.
Arteta's Rallying Cry: "Let's Break It"
When confronted with this daunting statistic, the Arsenal manager's response was characteristically direct and bullish. "Let's break it," Arteta declared. He pointed to the unwavering belief within his squad as the key to rewriting history.
"That's what they transmit every single day when they're with us, training in every match," Arteta explained. "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."
While acknowledging the long road ahead, Arteta emphasised a focused mentality. "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."
Injury Cloud Over Key Midfielder Rice
Arsenal's title charge faces an immediate concern with the fitness of midfield linchpin Declan Rice ahead of Saturday's league fixture against Bournemouth. Rice sustained a knee injury during last weekend's 2-1 victory over Brighton.
Although he travelled with the squad for the midweek 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa, he was not deemed fit enough to be named on the bench. Arteta provided a cautious 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 felt the issue at the Amex Stadium, Arteta added, "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."
As the Premier League resumes, Arsenal find themselves at a familiar crossroads: top of the pile as a new year dawns. The question now is whether Arteta's men possess the fortitude to consign a painful historical pattern to the past and end a 22-year wait for the ultimate domestic prize.
