Adedokun Waliyu 
Mikel Arteta said on Friday that Arsenal’s impressive consistency should make them “very convinced” they can achieve something special this season.
The Premier League leaders, six points clear of second-placed Manchester City, travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Arsenal, who have finished as runners-up in the league for the past three seasons, are chasing their first major trophy since 2020 and are currently competing on four fronts.
The Gunners are top of the Champions League league phase with a perfect record. They also defeated Chelsea 3–2 in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final this week and remain in contention in the FA Cup.
Arteta was asked at his pre-match press conference whether he sensed belief within the club that something special, or even historic, could be achieved this season.
“We are building very good momentum and belief comes from performances, the level of consistency that we have shown throughout 32 games already this season,” said the Spaniard, whose side have lost just twice this season.
“And what we did the other day at Stamford Bridge, it should help us to be very convinced that we have the ability to do that.
“But the reality is that you have to show it in every game and there’s still so much to happen, but we are glad that we are still alive in the four competitions.”
Arteta added that his players have responded positively to increased competition for places in a strengthened squad.
“It’s something that we talked about from the start of the season,” he said. “If we want to have any chance of doing that (winning the Premier League), we have to be there.”
The Arsenal manager noted that other clubs who have challenged for the Premier League title in recent years, such as Manchester City and Liverpool, also possessed deep squads.
“So this is the nature,” he said, with Arsenal aiming to win the English league title for the first time since 2004. “We want this. We really have to accept this because there’s no other way.
“They haven’t done it with 14, 15 or 16 players — none of the clubs in the history in the last 10, 15 years. So it’s something that we want to be there. We have to do it and it has to be natural.”
