Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is focused solely on his team, insisting that it’s too early to consider potential title rivals in the Premier League.
After finishing second behind Manchester City in the last two seasons, the Gunners are determined to be crowned English champions for the first time since 2004.
While Mikel Arteta and his players have made it clear that their goal this season is to win the title, he has downplayed speculation about a possible three-way battle among Arsenal, City, and Liverpool.
“No, it’s super early,” he said on Friday, after being asked whether there could be a three-horse race this season.
“For me, we just started it.
“But you can feel already the tension, the importance of every match.
“But we are just in early October.”
Arsenal and Manchester City, who drew 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium last month, remain unbeaten this season, each accumulating 14 points from their opening six league fixtures.
However, it is Liverpool who currently sit at the top of the table, having won five and lost one of their first six matches.
Arsenal will host Southampton on Saturday in a fixture that marks the first encounter between Mikel Arteta’s side and Aaron Ramsdale since his departure from the club in a £25 million deal this August.
Ramsdale made 89 appearances for Arsenal from 2021 until earlier this year when he chose to leave the Emirates Stadium after losing his position as the first-choice goalkeeper to David Raya.
At Friday’s press conference, Arteta revealed what he did first after learning that Ramsdale had officially left the club.
“I called him straight away after I got the news [of his move to Southampton],” Arteta said.
“He was really happy.
“He is a player we love a lot. Very charismatic.
“He really put his fingerprints here in the way he was.
“And it will be very nice to see him.”
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