Tag: Mikel Arteta

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EPL: Arsenal extend league lead with routine win over Brentford

Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League summit with a controlled 2-0 victory over Brentford on Wednesday night, driven by goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka.

Mikel Arteta refreshed his starting XI with three changes from the Chelsea draw, introducing Ben White, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Ødegaard. The adjustments delivered immediate impact.

Merino breaks the deadlock

Arsenal took the lead in the 11th minute. White advanced on the right and delivered a precise cross that found Merino, who powered a header past Caoimhin Kelleher.

EPL: Arsenal extend league lead with routine win over Brentford
Mikel Merino opened the scoring for Arsenal – Getty image

Forced into a makeshift striking role due to injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyökeres, Merino continued his productive run.

The goal marked his 13th of 2025, the highest tally by any Arsenal player this calendar year.

Brentford came closest to responding when Kevin Schade’s header from a corner was tipped onto the crossbar by David Raya, but the visitors struggled to sustain pressure.

Saka seals the result

Arsenal doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time. Merino slipped a well-weighted pass through midfield to Saka, who finished despite Kelleher’s initial touch.

The hosts maintained control after the break, though Arteta suffered two injury concerns, with Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice withdrawn after sustaining knocks.

The result extends Arsenal’s unbeaten streak to 18 matches in all competitions and marks their eighth consecutive home victory, reinforcing their strong position at the top of the league.

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Martinelli rescues Arsenal with stoppage-time equaliser after Haaland opener for Man City

Gabriel Martinelli struck a dramatic late equaliser to salvage a point for Arsenal in their 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates.

The Brazilian forward’s delicate lob in stoppage time cancelled out Erling Haaland’s ninth-minute strike, denying Pep Guardiola’s side a statement away win in the Premier League.

Haaland strikes early

City made the perfect start when Haaland finished a sweeping move he had initiated, slotting past David Raya for his 13th goal of the season.

The Norwegian forward looked back to his devastating best, troubling Arsenal’s backline with his physical presence.

Mikel Arteta’s selection choices left Arsenal sluggish and lacking creativity in the first half, with Viktor Gyokeres ineffective up front and summer signing Mikel Merino caught out in midfield.

Guardiola, meanwhile, named the same starting XI for a third successive match, a first in four years.

Arsenal rally after changes

The introductions of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at half-time transformed Arsenal’s performance.

Saka’s delivery and Eze’s sharpness gave the hosts new momentum, with Martin Zubimendi and Eze both testing Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City, however, remained dangerous on the counter. Jeremy Doku set up Haaland for a one-on-one, only for Raya to deny him.

Guardiola then shut down the contest with defensive changes, reverting to a back five as time ticked away.

Martinelli delivers late drama

With City seemingly closing out the game, Arsenal found a breakthrough in stoppage time.

Eze’s lofted ball unlocked the defence, and Martinelli lifted a clever finish over Donnarumma, the first goal the Italian conceded in City colours.

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Guardiola hails Arteta, labels Arsenal Europe’s toughest test

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has described Mikel Arteta as “extraordinary” and ranked Arsenal among the toughest opponents in Europe ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal, who finished as City’s closest challengers in recent seasons, are unbeaten in their last five encounters with the side.

The last meeting between both clubs saw the Gunners claim a stunning 5-1 victory in north London just seven months ago.

Ahead of the new campaign, Arteta strengthened his squad with high-profile additions including Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, a move Guardiola believes has made Arsenal even stronger.

Praise for Arteta and Arsenal’s growth

Speaking in his prematch press conference, Guardiola hailed his former assistant: “Hopefully, it is an unbelievable squad, and this season we can make more of a challenge because Mikel is an extraordinary manager.

“They increase the squad in four or five transfer windows. It is one of the toughest opponents you can find right now in Europe.”

Guardiola also admitted City lost focus in the closing stages of their last meeting: “The last 15–20 minutes were a disaster. We forgot to do what we have to do. After that, it was easy for Arsenal.”

Arsenal’s rising strength

The City boss highlighted the Gunners’ all-round qualities, including their attacking pace and efficiency from set pieces under coach Nicolas Jover.

“For me, it is the most solid team; they don’t make mistakes. They have pace up front. They have set pieces with Nico, who was here. In every department we know the quality they have,” he added.

Guardiola admitted City must adapt quickly on Sunday and improve from last season, especially in game management during the final minutes.

Strong start to the season

Arsenal head into the fixture in strong form, winning four of their opening five matches across all competitions, including a Champions League triumph over Athletic Club.

They have scored 11 goals and conceded just once, proving how tough their defense has been so far.

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Arteta hails Martinelli’s instant impact in Bilbao

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Gabriel Martinelli after the forward came off the bench to score within seconds of his introduction during the Gunners’ 2-0 Champions League win over Athletic Club on Tuesday night.

The Brazilian found the net just 36 seconds after entering the pitch, becoming Arsenal’s fastest-ever substitute goalscorer in the competition.

His strike, along with Leandro Trossard’s late effort, ensured the Premier League side began their European campaign with maximum points at San Mames.

Substitutes make the difference

Arteta opted to start with summer arrivals Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke in attack, but it was the substitutes who proved decisive.

Martinelli opened the scoring in the 72nd minute before turning provider for Trossard’s goal, as the pair combined twice to secure victory.

Speaking after the match, Arteta explained that he sensed Martinelli was ready to make an immediate impact.

“I looked on the bench, I looked at him, and in his eyes I could see that he [Martinelli] was ready, Leo as well,” the Spaniard said.

“That’s going to help us a lot for the future, it is going to dictate the quality of our season. The finishers are going to be more important this year than the starters. I love it. That’s the attitude I need from all of us.”

History made in Champions League

Martinelli’s strike not only broke the deadlock but also set a club record, while he and Trossard became the first Arsenal pair to assist each other’s goals as substitutes in the Champions League.

Arteta admitted that leaving players out of his starting lineup remains a difficult task, especially in such a prestigious competition.

“It’s always very difficult emotionally to leave players out. I know how much they want to play in this competition and what it means to them.

“Every time you do a line-up, you are disappointing a lot of players. It hurts me,” he added.

Arsenal now shift focus to domestic matters, returning to the Emirates for a Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday.

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Paul Scholes argues Gyokeres ‘suitability’ for Arsenal

Paul Scholes has expressed doubts over Viktor Gyokeres’ suitability for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side.

This follows the striker’s £64 million move from Sporting Lisbon.

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, the Manchester United legend questioned whether Gyokeres was Arteta’s first-choice signing, pointing to Arsenal’s prolonged negotiations and indecision.

Gyokeres, who struggled during an earlier stint at Brighton, rebuilt his career at Coventry City before exploding at Sporting, where he scored 97 goals in 102 appearances, including 52 last season and a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City.

While acknowledging the Swede’s impressive record, Scholes queried his tactical fit at Arsenal.

He said that Gyokeres thrived in a counter-attacking system at Sporting, which contrasts with Arsenal’s possession-heavy approach.

“Is he going to be clever enough to make those runs in behind when Arsenal dominate the ball?” Scholes asked.

He also contrasted Gyokeres with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, suggesting the latter possesses the movement and intelligence suited to a team like Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Gyokeres’ lacklustre debut, just two touches in 13 minutes during a 1-0 loss to Spurs in Hong Kong, did little to silence critics.

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Arteta Confirms Premier League Trophy Will Be At Emirates For Arsenal vs Everton

Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, has affirmed that the Premier League trophy will be at the Emirates on Sunday, when they host Everton in their final fixture.

The Gunners have a slim chance of winning the title on the day if Manchester City drop points at home against West Ham.

Despite the disappointment of seeing City beat Tottenham to go top, Arteta still believes his side can come out on top on the final day of the season

Speaking to the Spanish media, Arteta said: “This is the nice part, fighting for the title until the last day.

“It will be the first time that the Premier League trophy will be there waiting at the Emirates since it was built, with red ribbons on it, because if we win and they don’t, it’s ours.”

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My Time Has Come To An End – Arsenal Midfielder Leaves Arteta’s Side

Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the Arsenal superstar is set to leave the Gunners.

But, despite seeing his time at Arsenal come to an end, Ainsley Maitland-Niles admitted that he’ll always be a Gooner at heart, regardless of where his next move takes him.

Arsenal on Friday confirmed Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s departure from Mikel Arteta’s side following the expiration of his contract this month.

Speaking on his exit from Arsenal, Maitland-Niles told the club’s official website that his time at Emirates has come to an end, adding that he was happy to be part of the squad that won the FA Cup.

“Words can’t describe how I’m feeling to be honest, it’s been a very emotional journey. Having supported the club growing up and coming through the ranks, I can only be happy with what I’ve achieved since I’ve been here,” Maitland-Niles said.

“I’ve seen a lot of players come and go and played with a lot of fantastic players throughout my time here. Unfortunately, it has to come to an end, but I’ve been happy every single moment I’ve been here to play and work for this club.

“The trophy wins would probably be the best moments for me, obviously some of the domestic seasons weren’t so great but at least I got to win some trophies with the club that I love. The FA Cup final was a fantastic day that will always stick in my mind, and I was happy to be a part of the team that won it.”

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OFFICIAL: Arteta named EPL Manager of the Month for March

Mikel Arteta has been named the Barclays Manager of the Month after guiding Arsenal to a perfect March.

Arteta helped the Gunners stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League table to eight points above Manchester City.

His team scored an incredible 14 goals in four matches, beating Everton, AFC Bournemouth, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

The Spaniard had a big influence on the incredible 3-2 turnaround win over AFC Bournemouth, bringing on Reiss Nelson to set up the equaliser before scoring the winner.

Arteta wins the award for a fourth time this season, moving just one behind Jurgen Klopp’s record of five in a single campaign, set in 2019/20, read more Here.

It makes it a double sweep for Arsenal, after Bukayo Saka won the EA SPORTS Player of the Month award.

Arteta beat fellow nominees Roberto De Zerbi, Unai Emery and Pep Guardiola after votes from the public were combined with those of a panel of experts.

2022/23 Barclays Manager winners

  • August: Mikel Arteta (ARS)
  • September: Erik ten Hag (MUN)
  • October: Eddie Howe (NEW)
  • November/December: Mikel Arteta (ARS)
  • January: Mikel Arteta (ARS)
  • February: Erik ten Hag (MUN)
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It’s the loudest – Arteta reacts to Arsenal’s comeback against Bournemouth

Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal’s late comeback against Bournemouth on Saturday, March 4, was the “most emotional and loudest” moment he has shared with his team.

Arsenal conceded just nine seconds into the game and were pushed further behind following another goal from Bournemouth in the early minutes of the second half.

The Gunners however came from two goals down to win 3-2 in dramatic fashion thanks to a 97th minute goal from Reiss Nelson. The win restored Arsenal’s five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Arteta who spoke to reporters after the match said;

“It’s probably the loudest and the most emotional moment that we have lived together. The journey that we’ve been on together and how the supporters and the players are gliding together. Adding into that moment, it’s really special.

“Winning four games in the Premier League is very difficult and we have done three in a week, which is even harder. We have done it in various ways and that should generate more belief. Today a lot of things went against the team.”

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