Arsenal: Mikel Arteta's issues analysed as the pressure starts to show on Premier League title-chasing Gunners
Arsenal's lead now down to four points at the top of the Premier League after a three-game winless run; following their 3-2 home defeat to Manchester United their former captain Patrick Vieira said: "There's still questions about the mental strength of the the team"
Monday 26 January 2026 14:56, UK
Arsenal have not won the Premier League title for 22 years - is it starting to show?
The pressure of ending the long wait to win the Premier League appeared to take its toll as Mikel Arteta's side were beaten 3-2 by Manchester United at the Emirates.
It's a result that has alarm bells ringing at Arsenal, whose lead at the top of the Premier League has been reduced from seven to four points following a three-game winless run.
So, what are the reasons behind their mini slump in the league? Sky Sports takes a look at the problems facing the Gunners as they look to finally get across the line and claim the title...
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Is the pressure too much for Arsenal?
You'd hope not.
If Arteta and his men are feeling the pressure in January, what will they be like in April and May if they are still trying to get over the finish line?
Sky Sports' Roy Keane said there were nerves from the Gunners as they slipped to a first home defeat of the season on Sunday, while former Gunner Patrick Vieira raised question marks around his former side's mentality. There was anxiety all around at the Emirates and after blowing leads at the top of the Premier League table in two of the last three seasons, it's probably understandable.
After an excellent 30 minutes against United, Arsenal collapsed. It was a similar story against Liverpool but Arne Slot's men couldn't find the back of the net. There was also signs of tension at Nottingham Forest and it has led to Arsenal blowing the opportunity of extending their lead at the top of the table to 11 points.
Instead, Man City and Aston Villa are now lurking just four points back.
The next few weeks will certainly show us whether this is just a blip or something more sinister.
Have Arteta and his players learned of the mistakes of the past or is there scare tissure from previous failed title challenges? We'll find out what the Gunners are truly made of as they look to bounce back quickly.
Arteta needs to get his attack firing
Goals would help take some of that pressure away!
Arsenal's attack is coming under intense scrutiny, with key forwards not contributing and an over reliance on set-piece goals.
The stats are alarming:
- Bukayo Saka - No goals in the last 13 games in all competitions.
- Viktor Gyokeres - No non-penalty goals in his last 11 Premier League appearances.
- Gabriel Martinelli - No goals in his last 13 Premier League appearances.
- Noni Madueke - No goals in his last 25 Premier League appearances.
- Leandro Trossard - One goal in his last 11 appearances in all competitions.
Apart from set-pieces, no-one is scoring consistently for Arsenal in the league as they struggle for fluency going forward.
There is not one Arsenal player in the top 20 for Premier Leagie goals this season, while they have the third lowest percentage for goals scored by forwards in the Premier League.
That is in stark contrast to the Champions League where the Gunners have not had the same issues. They have scored 18 goals in seven matches, scoring three past both Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, and hitting four past Atletico.
The question then is why are Arsenal struggling for goals from their forwards in the Premier League?
Arsenal need to go back to basics. To express themselves, play with freedom, and go forward. They got to the top by playing in the right way and being positive.
One argument is teams attack against Arsenal more in the Champions League, leaving the likes of Saka, Odegaard and Trossard more space, but many will point to a perceived safety-first approach deployed by Arteta in the Premier League.
It's hard to argue that it's not worked for Arteta so far with his side still in a healthy position at the top of the table, but how he strikes the right balance going forward could be crucial.
Do the Gunners have an Odegaard problem?
So often a key component in that Arsenal attack, Martin Odegaard failed to deliver against Man Utd.
Chasing the game, Arteta hooked his captain off after just 62 minutes, something that would have been unthinkable in recent seasons with Odegaard so often his side's creative spark.
However, Odegaard, who had just 27 touches in his time on the field against United, was a bystander when his side needed him the most.
"Odegaard is one of the technical leaders of the team, because of his vision, of his last pass," Vieira said when asked about Odegaard's impact. "I would like to see him play higher, between the lines. I think at times he plays it too safe, comes too close to the back four. You need those type of players closer to the goal."
In the past, there would have been no question that Odegaard would keep his place in the Arsenal team. Arteta trusts him and loves the control the Norwegian brings to his team. However, now there is another option in Eberechi Eze.
While Eze has also been far from his best in recent weeks, fans have been quick to point out on social media that some of Arsenal's most fluent attacking displays have been with the former Crystal Palace star in the No 10 position. The 4-0 win over Atletico, the wins over Bayern and Inter Milan, and the 4-1 demolition of Spurs in the north London derby all had Eze pulling the strings for Arsenal in attack.
Odegaard has been a crucial lieutenant for Arteta, but it may be time for the him to roll the dice on Eze's unpredictability.
The best squad but is Arteta using it right?
Arsenal's lacklustre display against United was lightyears away from their brilliant performance in Milan in midweek.
But did Arteta get his team selection right for both games?
When the team news dropped in midweek, there were more questions than answers as Arteta selected a number of his first-team regulars for a game that had nothing riding on it.
Arsenal had their place confirmed in the last 16 of the Champions League ahead of the game at the San Siro, but the likes of Saka, Trossard, Zubimendi, Jurrien Timber and William Saliba all started with the likes of Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, the returning Kai Havertz and Ethan Nwaneri, who is now on loan at Marseille, craving minutes.
All five of those players backed up and started against United, including Gabriel Jesus, and it showed with Arsenal looking like they lacked energy against a fresh Manchester United side.
A lot has been made of Arsenal's excellent squad depth and you would be hard pushed to find someone who didn't think they had the best squad in the Premier League.
However, that depth is worthless if not used correctly.
It's not all doom and gloom
Despite the negative noise after the defeat to Man Utd, it would be easy to forget that Arsenal are still four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
They are also top of the Champions League table with a perfect record and through to the last 16. They have a one-goal lead going into next week's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea and they have an FA Cup fourth-round clash against Wigan on the horizon.
Arsenal are where they want to be. All four trophies remain firmly on the table.
Despite a run of three games without a victory, the Gunners remain firm favourites for a first league title in 22 years, according to Opta.
The supercomputer has Arteta's men an 81.7 per cent chance ending their long wait for the title, while Aston Villa now have a 9.4 per cent chance of lifting their first top-flight title since 1981, with Man City on 8.7 per cent.
"Arsenal haven't won the title is a long time," former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira said on Sky Sports following the defeat to Man Utd. "The first title is always the most difficult one.
"But Mikel Arteta will be showing his Arsenal players the table. They are the best team in the Premier League."
Arsenal didn't play like it against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest or Man Utd, but now is not the time to panic with everything still in their hands.
The painful defeat to United is a chance for Arsenal to re-group and show what they are made of as they look to finally get over the line. Captain Martin Odegaard called on the players to stick together and with league games at Leeds, at home to Sunderland and away at Brentford coming up, Arsenal have a great opportunity to get their title hopes firmly back on track.
However, if their league form doesn't change quickly, starting at Elland Road on the Saturday, questions will continue to be asked and the pressure on Arsenal and Arteta will continue to grow.
