Arteta on title bid: If Liverpool slip, we'll be there

Mikel Arteta is confident his Arsenal side will be there waiting to strike in the Premier League title race if Liverpool open the door.

Liverpool pulled nine points clear of Arsenal with a thumping 5-0 win at West Ham and although the Gunners can cut the gap, Arne Slot’s team still have a game in hand on their rivals.

The signs are good though as Arsenal look to be coming to the boil at the right time. The 1-0 win over Ipswich made it 11 games unbeaten, winning eight of those.

When asked how hard it will be to catch Liverpool, Arteta said: “I don’t know, and that doesn’t depend on us.

“We have to continue to be like a hammer, be there every day, every day, every day. And, I mean, if somebody wins all the matches, congratulate him and let’s go to the next season. But if they don’t, which in history hasn’t happened, we’ll be there.”

Having seen the Premier League title slip away from their grasp in the final weeks of the 2022/23 season, Arsenal yet again fell short a year later to Manchester City despite a brilliant run of 11 wins in their last 13 games.

There is an air of this Arsenal team being just the bridesmaid rather than the bride but Arteta believes they have the credentials to go all the way.

He added: “Well, we’re going to have to prove it. What we’ve proven already this season, and I’m sure of that, if that would have happened last season, by playing the amount of games that we played with 10 men, all the injuries that we had in the squad, for sure we were in the position that we are today in the competitions. So the team has made another step.

“The team is evolving and is adapting to new circumstances. And now we have another one, which is more games with less players. So let’s face it.”

Brentford juggling injury crisis

Brentford have suffered significantly with injuries this season, and consequently consistency has proved difficult to find.

With seven wins from nine games, they have the joint-best home record in the league but have been unable to replicate that form on the road, sitting bottom of the form table alongside Southampton with two points and no victories.

Frank is currently without Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer and record signing Igor Thiago, while summer acquisition Gustavo Nunes is yet to make his debut.

Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey and Josh Dasilva are all long-term absentees, further adding to Frank’s woes.

There was better injury news elsewhere as Frank confirmed Sepp van den Berg and Mathias Jensen are fit enough to return against Arsenal.

“The news is more positive and they will be available and in the squad,” said Frank. “They have been out for quite a while so we just need to take the decision as to whether they will start.”

Jones Knows’ prediction: Rice to score first in away win

Sky Sports’ betting expert Lewis Jones:

Thomas Frank lost two more key members of his Brentford back line to take their total number of injured players to 11 in the dogged draw at Brighton. Such depletion is going to bite sooner or later and this could be where that tide turns.

Arsenal, without grabbing many plaudits, do seem to have their game-heads on again in terms of winning games. Declan Rice’s return to form may have something to do with that – he’s looked more himself in the last few weeks and is carrying a big goalscoring threat from midfield.

He netted in the win at Palace and went close with two strikes in the comfortable 1-0 win over Ipswich. The 18/1 on him to score first with Sky Bet is too big. Back it.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-3 | JONES KNOWS’ BEST BET: Declan Rice to score first (18/1 with Sky Bet)

Arsenal upcoming fixtures

Brentford (A) – Premier League – Wednesday January 1

Brighton (A) – Premier League – Saturday January 4, live on Sky Sports

Newcastle (H) – Carabao Cup semi-final first leg – Tuesday January 7, live on Sky Sports

Man Utd (H) – FA Cup third round – January 12

Tottenham (H) – Premier League – January 15

Aston Villa (H) – Premier League – January 18, live on Sky Sports