Arteta claims Arsenal benefiting from hard work and dedication

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta feels his team is beginning to gain from their efforts as the Gunners enter 2026 leading the Premier League table.

The convincing 4-1 victory over title challengers Aston Villa on Tuesday has put Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City in second place, with City facing Sunderland on New Years Day.

Arsenal have not claimed the Premier League since 2004, and when questioned on whether this might be the year to end over two decades of disappointment, Arteta praised his teams belief and drive.

We are playing every two and a half days, the fixture list is extremely tough, we face some challenging games and have injuries, yet the players keep securing wins, and success aids everything, he explained.

All the effort and devotion invested shows in the outcomes and strong showings, which is incredibly rewarding, but we realise there is still plenty to achieve.

The Spanish coach continued: It is a fantastic conclusion to the year, no doubt. We will enjoy a pleasant evening with our loved ones on New Years Eve, yet the following day we are back at it, heading to Bournemouth on Saturday, and we understand the importance of that.

After slim one goal triumphs in their prior three league outings versus Wolverhampton, Everton, and Brighton, Arsenal netted four goals in a match for the first time since their dominant north London derby triumph against Tottenham at the Emirates on November 23.

We required this fixture, commented Martin Zubimendi, who netted alongside Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus in the win over Villa for an Arsenal outfit that controlled the latter period.

We were at home, aiming to close the year atop the standings against a strong Aston Villa side, who are tactically near flawless, so we are delighted with our display.

In the opening half, we had some issues with their quick breaks. During the interval, we tweaked a few positions, and after the initial and subsequent goals in the second half, the match opened up, allowing us to add two more.

We felt the crowds enthusiasm, constantly urging us on and seeking further.