Mikel Arteta has backed Arsenal to continue their fine start to the season and battle for the Premier League title.
Arsenal’s long trophy drought is well documented. They have not lifted silverware since 2005, when they beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
The Gunners have started this season like a club hell-bent on putting an end to that talk. They have defied the football betting odds to win seven of their opening nine league games.
Arsenal have also enjoyed a good start to a difficult Champions League group, despite defeat to Borussia Dortmund last time out.
The return fixture in Germany comes in the middle of a run which will show how far Arsene Wenger’s side have come. They take on Chelsea, Liverpool, Dortmund and Manchester United in the space of a fortnight.
Like many people who bet on football, Arteta is confident Arsenal will continue to play good football during that period. He believes they are capable of lasting the distance in the league.
“For me the satisfying thing is not to prove people wrong, it’s to be where we are (top of the Premier League) and do the things the way we want to do them,” the midfielder told Sky Sports News.
“If that is the case, then I think we have the quality and desire to fight for the title because I think that’s where this club needs to be each year.”
The 31-year-old has been particularly impressed by two of Arsenal’s summer signings, with Mesut Ozil a standout.
“I think he’s a tremendous player. He’s had a tremendous impact since he arrived, which is not easy because he came here on the last day of the transfer window,” Arteta added.
“Mathieu Flamini has done really well. That’s what we needed. We can rotate the team now, we have quality around midfield. Let’s see what we can do.”
