Mikel Arteta warns Premier League rivals as Arsenal reach higher level
Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal are evolving beyond their title-winning standards after securing a victory over Chelsea.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Ank kumar
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his squad is evolving beyond the high standards set during their historic title-winning campaign. Following a statement 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Sunday, the Spaniard expressed his belief that the team possesses the hunger to reach even greater heights this season.
Despite conceding an early goal, Arsenal fought back with strikes from Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard. The win keeps the Gunners level with Manchester City as the only teams with a perfect record after three matches.
I think it's an indication for us of how capable we are to perform at an even higher level than last season, and it depends on how we maintain and sustain that desire. Mikel Arteta
The manager highlighted the growing chemistry between his key attacking players, noting that the combination of Havertz, Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka is creating new dimensions in their play. Arteta acknowledged that these players were often unavailable simultaneously last season, limiting their ability to fully gel.
For Chelsea, the result serves as a reality check under manager Xabi Alonso. While frustrated, Alonso insisted his squad is committed to the long-term project at Stamford Bridge despite the setback.
Attention now shifts to the Champions League opener against Napoli this Wednesday. However, the squad faces uncertainty regarding defender Cristhian Mosquera, who missed the Chelsea match due to a muscular issue.