Despite finishing 2022 seven points clear of the opposition at the top of the table, Arsenal has downplayed their chances of winning the Premier League.
On New Year’s Eve at Brighton, the Gunners defeated the Seagulls 4-2 to increase their advantage over Manchester City.
However, Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, claimed that his team still has potential for development after a stumble when leading 3-0.
If Arsenal falters, he claimed, the lead at the top of the standings “means nothing” and “our sole priority is again to improve.”
Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2004, but just after Arteta’s third anniversary as manager they are in pole position to win what would be the club’s 14th league title.
Going into the last Premier League fixture of 2022, Arsenal were buoyed in the knowledge City had been held 1-1 by Everton earlier in the day.
“We knew the result, but the boost is we have to come here and win, and to do that we have to perform at the highest level in this league,” Arteta told BBC Sport.
“We had to have a big performance to win against a really good Brighton side. We had to dig in as well.”
Arteta said his side still had “a lot of things to improve” – especially defensively.
Arsenal and City have played 16 games each so far this season. At the same stage in 2021-22, the Gunners trailed City by 12 points.
