Arsenal named ‘genuine title contenders’ as Mikel Arteta given advice

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Arsenal icon Emmanuel Petit has insisted that Mikel Arteta’s side will have what it takes to win the Premier League this season if they learn how to consistently beat the division’s best teams. The Gunners are currently sitting pretty at the top of the table after winning five of their opening six games, with their only defeat coming at the hands of Manchester United in their last outing earlier this month.

Arsenal are widely expected to miss out on this season’s Premier League title in spite of their impressive start to proceedings, with Manchester City and Liverpool still the favourites to battle it out for domestic glory over the coming months. However, Petit believes that it would be silly to write Arsenal off if they manage to start taking points from the league’s very best sides.

“Right now, Arsenal are first in the league so I would say they are genuine title contenders,” Petit told Lord Ping when quizzed on the credentials of his former club.

“They have improved over the last few seasons, but they still need to improve against the top teams. They need to learn to convincingly beat top teams.

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“We’re seeing things in this Arsenal squad that we haven’t seen before. Maturity, character and personality and so for them to be able to beat the best teams in the division is the last stop for Arsenal.”

Arsenal have often been criticised for failing to beat the Premier League’s other big-hitters in recent years and will be desperate to prove themselves by doing so over the course of the current campaign. They have already tasted defeat at the hands of United over the last few weeks but will have further chances to put things right against Tottenham and Liverpool before the end of October.

Meanwhile, Petit’s comments on Arsenal’s title chances were recently echoed by legendary former Gunners manager Arsene Wenger, who believes that a Premier League triumph is not outside the realms of possibility for Arteta and his players this season.

“I would say they are moving in the right direction,” said Wenger at an event to promote former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein’s new book Calling the Shots.

“I honestly think there is no weak position in the team. They are young, promising players and they have bought well this year. There is no completely dominating team this season and Arsenal has a chance with the potential that is there.

“We used to be in the top four and why not again? You cannot even rule out the fact that they can fight for the title and hopefully they can do it.”

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