Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal have ‘gone a step backwards’ in league this season | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has admitted for the first time that Arsenal have gone backwards in the Premier League this season.

The Gunners will end the campaign empty-handed for a fifth consecutive year following their Champions League semi-final exit to Paris St Germain earlier this week.

And they will now head to Liverpool on Sunday to form a guard of honour for their rivals who secured the title with four matches remaining.

Arteta’s players have scored fewer goals and amassed fewer points than either of the last two seasons where they emerged as Manchester City’s closest challengers.

They also have third-placed City, who are three points behind, breathing down their neck heading into their final three fixtures.

And Arteta said: “In the Premier League we’ve gone a step backwards.

“With the points that we have created it is clear that we have not done as good as last season, and that’s obvious.

“But with the amount of points that we have generated in the last few seasons, we could have won two Premier League titles. So you know how close we are. We are providing the numbers that win you titles.”

Arteta raised eyebrows in the wake of his side’s defeat against PSG when he said that Arsenal have been the best team in the Champions League this season.

Asked if he stood by his remarks, Arteta said: “One hundred per cent. I’m watching it back, I’m watching all the statistics. And when you look at the important stats that normally give you the best platform to win football matches, it is crystal clear who was better.

“But it is not about the winning probability, or what you’ve managed, it is actually about making it happen and making it count.”

Arsenal’s bid to end a trophy drought, which now extends back to their FA Cup triumph in 2020, has been derailed by a number of high-profile injuries with Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and defender Gabriel all facing sustained periods on the sidelines.

Arteta has transformed Arsenal into serious challengers on both domestic and European fronts since he became manager in 2019, but his failure to land a trophy again this term has courted criticism.

“Not winning trophies bothers me a lot because I love winning, and absolutely hate losing,” he said when asked if he has been hurt by the fall-out.

“When we get so close to winning big trophies, and you don’t achieve it, it has to be part of that journey to go immediately into a different competition and to perform at the highest level (against Liverpool on Sunday).”

Reflecting on Arsenal’s guard of honour for Arne Slot’s champions on Sunday, he said: “They deserve that. They’ve been the best team, and they’ve been the most consistent.

“What Arne and the coaching staff have done has been fascinating, and they fully deserve it. That is sport, and when somebody is better, you have to applaud and accept it, and try to reach that level.”