Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has declared his renewed belief that his side can finally convert their festive league leadership into a Premier League title, after the Gunners returned to the summit on Christmas Day.
History Repeats as Gunners Top the Tree
For the fifth time in the competition's history, and the third occasion in the last four years, Arsenal find themselves leading the Premier League on December 25. However, the North London club has a well-documented history of failing to turn that yuletide advantage into ultimate glory in May.
Their position was secured with a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at Everton on Sunday, a result that saw them leapfrog Manchester City who had briefly occupied top spot earlier in the day. The only goal of a tense encounter came from the penalty spot, scored by striker Viktor Gyokeres.
Arteta's Confidence and On-Field Ownership
Speaking after the match, a buoyant Arteta pointed to his team's performance levels as the source of his optimism. "It gives me belief and confidence: the level of performance and the consistency of that," the Spaniard stated. "It is very difficult to do in this league so it means the team is consistently there."
The decisive moment arrived in the first half after Everton defender Jake O'Brien was penalised for a handball. Captain Martin Odegaard then handed the responsibility to Gyokeres over regular taker Bukayo Saka, a decision which delighted his manager. "Great decision. Very happy for him," Arteta said, praising the players for taking ownership. "I love it when players take ownership and make the decision themselves."
Gyokeres' successful conversion ended a six-game goal drought for the forward, with Arteta highlighting his "unbelievable" daily practice from the spot.
Controversy and Everton's Frustration
The match was not without controversy, as Everton had a strong appeal for a penalty of their own waved away in the second half. William Saliba's attempted clearance connected with the foot of Everton's Thierno Barry, but after a VAR review, officials deemed the contact to be insufficient.
Everton manager David Moyes offered a diplomatic take on the incident. "I've watched it back, I think they said it was insufficient contact," he remarked. "It's probably been seen and could have been given, but for the VAR not to send him to the screen they must have felt it was not enough."
Moyes was left to bemoan the "stupid penalty kick" conceded by O'Brien's inexplicable handball as the defining moment. "We pushed Arsenal close. If they had scored a brilliant goal you could have held your hand up but it wasn't, it was a poor decision by us," he concluded, while praising his team's commitment and determination in a narrow defeat.
As the Premier League enters its traditionally pivotal festive period, Arteta and Arsenal will be hoping their Christmas position is a predictor of future success, not a repeat of past disappointments.
