Mikel Arteta has warned Premier League leaders Liverpool that his Arsenal players will be ready to pounce if they slip in the title race from now until the end of the season.
Arne Slot's side moved nine points clear of the Gunners at the top after their 5-0 thrashing of West Ham, recording their 14th league win from 18 games under the Dutchman.
Liverpool still have a game in hand on the rest of their title rivals, with their Merseyside derby clash against Everton postponed in early December due to high winds.
But Arsenal have the chance to move up to second in the standings with a win over Brentford on Wednesday, leaving high-flying Nottingham Forest behind them.
Arteta's side are now unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games following their narrow win over Ipswich Town last time out.
But when asked how difficult it will be to catch Liverpool, Arteta told Sky Sports: “I don't know, and it doesn't depend on us.
“We have to stay like a hammer, be there every day, every day, every day.
“And I mean, if someone wins all the games, congratulate him and let's move on to the next season. But if he doesn't, which hasn't happened in history, we'll be there.”
After seeing the Premier League title slip out of their hands in the final weeks of the 2022-2023 season, Arsenal fell short again against Manchester City a year later.
Their hopes of a first top-flight title since 2003-04 have been marred by injuries, with Bukayo Saka ruled out for the last two months after undergoing hamstring surgery.
While it looks like the Gunners will once again play a supporting role in the title race this year, Arteta is confident his side can go all the way this time.
“Well, we'll have to prove it,” Arteta added.
“Which we have already proven this season, and I'm sure if that had happened last season, by the number of games we played with ten men, and all the injuries we had in the squad, for sure.” we were in the position we are in now in the competitions.
“So the team has taken another step. The team is evolving to new conditions. And now we have another one, which is more matches with fewer players. So let's be honest.”
Arsenal start 2025 with the first game of the new year in the Premier League, making the short trip to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The Gunners have only lost their first league match in any of the last nine calendar years (W6 D2), losing 2-1 at home to Pep Guardiola's City on New Year's Day 2022.
They went unbeaten in all ten of their Premier League derby matches in London in 2024 (W8 D2).
Arsenal also scored more than five goals in five of those ten matches, as many times as in the previous 117 such matches.
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