Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has declared that the Gunners are paying minimal attention to the relentless chase of Manchester City, after his side reclaimed top spot in the Premier League just in time for Christmas.
Focus on the Job, Not the Rivals
The North London club re-established a crucial two-point advantage at the summit with a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at Everton on Sunday. This came just hours after Pep Guardiola's reigning champions had briefly supplanted them as league leaders. The result means Arsenal have now been top at Christmas for the third time in the last four seasons.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Saka emphasised the squad's internal focus. "There weren’t really any emotions in it, we take them out. We focus on our job," said the England forward. "Since last week we focused on winning here and we did that. We are back on top of the table but we aren’t watching City too hard. We know if we win every week we will stay there. We are in control."
A Win Without Being at Their Best
The match at Goodison Park saw Arsenal secure three points without having to hit peak form. A significantly depleted Everton side, missing key players, presented less of a challenge than a full-strength opponent would have. This eased the pressure exerted by City's earlier result, allowing the Gunners to navigate to a win.
The only goal of the game came from a first-half penalty by Viktor Gyokeres, his first goal in six matches, after defender Jake O'Brien was penalised for a handball. Arsenal had chances to make the scoreline more comfortable, with Leandro Trossard and Martin Zubimendi both striking the post, while Saka saw a shot cleared off the line by James Tarkowski.
Arteta Demands Improvement Despite Victory
Manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the win but pointed to clear areas for improvement as his team looks to convert their Christmas lead into a first Premier League title in over two decades. Historically, Arsenal have failed to win the league on all four previous occasions they have been top at Christmas.
"You have to dominate the tempo of the game. In order to do that, you have to understand what the game requires, when you have to play really fast, and when you have to slow the game down," Arteta explained. He stressed the need for greater incisiveness, adding, "The more we insist, the more will happen and the margins will be bigger. That’s what we have to try to do. That’s something that we can improve."
Reflecting on missed opportunities against both Everton and Wolves the previous weekend, Arteta noted, "You hit the post twice with players that normally when they are in those positions are going to put the ball in the net... Again, the margin should have been bigger but that’s what we have to learn while we are winning." The challenge for Arsenal now is to retain the control Saka spoke of throughout the demanding second half of the season.
