Arsenal are happy with how their season is panning out, but are insistent on not allowing talk of being title favourites to influence them, Arsenal Insider understands.
The Gunners have enjoyed a spectacular start to the season, winning ten of their opening 12 matches across all competitions.
Mikel Arteta’s team sit three points clear at the top of the Premier League table, and this has prompted many pundits to back them to win this elusive piece of silverware.
While the general football landscape is full of praise for the North Londoners, the internal reaction to this has been to block out the noise and focus on the task at hand.
How Arsenal have reacted to being labelled favourites for the Premier League
Not long ago, Arteta was being lamented in the media for his conservative approach to big matches.
Many were questioning whether Arsenal’s pragmatic style of play was capable of producing a title-winning season, and there were even suggestions that a change might need to be made in the dugout.
Now, the Gunners are riding high and prominent figures in the media are confident that the Premier League trophy will be heading to N5 in May.
Gary Neville believes Arsenal have to win the title from the position they’re in, while Ally McCoist is confident that Arteta’s side will be crowned champions.
It would be easy for those at the North London club to get carried away, but they’re certainly not. Speaking to Arsenal Insider, Graeme Bailey detailed exactly how the Gunners have responded to this sudden change in media coverage.
“The club are, I wouldn’t say downplaying it, but they are where they want to be and they’re confident,” he said.
“They’re very pleased that the work done off the field is translating to what they’re seeing on the field, but they always suspected that would be the case in this project. They believe in how they’re getting there, which is a big thing for them as well.
“As a club, they don’t talk about ‘being favourites’, they know it’s a long haul and they know there’s at least another two teams in Liverpool and City, who can win it. I also know that none of them are ruling Chelsea out just yet. So, yeah, they’re calm and collected. They’re eager not to be too high with the highs and not to be too low with the lows.
“Arsenal were struggling at the start a little bit, but they weren’t too down on themselves. Now they’re up, they’re not making plans for Islington High Street in six months time, do you know what I mean? They’re not quite there yet, but they’re very happy with the way they’re progressing.”
The Arsenal squad will be on top of the world at the moment
As much as the club try to play down their ‘favourites’ tag, the players will love it.
Arteta’s squad have been berated over the last 12 months, constantly criticised by fans and pundits after a difficult 2024/25 season.
This criticism would’ve taken its toll, and even at the start of this campaign, minor slip-ups were being hyperbolised all over the media.
Now they’re getting their flowers, the Gunners’ ensemble will be over the moon. They’ll feel as though the shackles have been released and that they’re finally being praised for all the hard work they’ve been putting in.
While it’s Arteta’s job to ensure they stay grounded, the players deserve their moment in the sun.
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