Mikel Arteta says his team need to improve their defending and conversion of chances if they are to have a hope of winning the 2023/24 Premier League title.
Arsenal make the short journey to Fulham today on the back of a shock defeat in another London derby at home to West Ham United on Wednesday.
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Arsenal dominated the match, with 30 shots to West Ham’s three, but their lack of ruthlessness in attack and defence meant that they fell from top spot in the table and now are in fourth going to Craven Cottage.
Asked if such a performance can win the title, Arteta replied. “If we don’t improve in the boxes, then no. Because at the end that’s what it is, but generating the rest, yeah, you say it’s a record [for 77 touches in the West Ham box], no?
"So I don’t think there are many teams in the league that have done that for many years, so that's something very positive, I think.”
Victory would send Arsenal back to the No 1 spot they occupied over Christmas, but another defeat would leave them fourth behind the team who beat them to the title last season, Manchester City, who will have a match in hand.
But Arteta does not want his team to look at the table.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +62 | 91 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +62 | 89 |
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
38 | +45 | 82 |
| 4 |
Aston Villa
AVL
|
38 | +15 | 68 |
| 5 |
Spurs
TOT
|
38 | +13 | 66 |
“We can be second as well, and winning we can be first so we have to do what we can control,” he said.
“There’s no time to look at other teams, you see how difficult it is for other teams yesterday and today, and it’s going to continue to be like that because the level of the league is incredible.”