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Should the Gunners boss sacrifice FA Cup triumph to prioritise Premier League or Champions League success?
Mikel Arteta was upset by Arsenal’s concluding performances of 2023, as the Gunners were beaten against West Ham United and Fulham to close out the year.
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How have Arsenal lost momentum?
The Spaniard was underwhelmed by his side’s ineffectiveness in both boxes in the home defeat by the Hammers, and the meek surrender against the Cottagers saw the North Londoners lose after going ahead for the first time since New Year’s Day 2022 against Manchester City. The December 31 reverse at Craven Cottage was tagged the Gunners’ “worst game of the season” by their young manager.
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21:26 - 31.12.2023
Fulham vs Arsenal: Worst game of the season — Mikel Arteta slams performance at Craven Cottage
Arsenal dropped points for the third successful game, but Arteta explains why the loss to Fulham is different from the previous two games against West Ham and Liverpool.
A lot has changed since Arsenal were top of the Premier League table at Christmas. Two games later, Arteta’s troops have lost momentum and sit five points back of league-leading Liverpool — the side they welcome in Sunday’s FA Cup third round — two adrift of Aston Villa, level on 40 points with Manchester City, who have a game to spare and a point ahead of injury-ridden Tottenham Hotspur.
December was far from kind to the three-time Premier League champions, whose only victory against Brighton & Hove Albion was a just reward for possibly their most complete 90-minute showing of 2023-24.
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Should Arteta prioritise the FA Cup?
With their previous impetus now slowed after the dip in results, the Arsenal boss faces a tricky situation heading into the new year. As the North London side contend for the Premier League title and in with an outside chance in the Champions League, could he prioritise both major titles over domestic cup triumph?
The 41-year-old could face criticism over that line of action owing to last season’s events and the fact that league success or continental triumph is not guaranteed this term. Arsenal already trail Liverpool by five points, even if that gap is not unassailable with both sides due to battle for the third time in six weeks on February 4, and face an uphill battle in Europe despite this team’s tactical adeptness and overall battling qualities.
READ MORE — Liverpool vs Arsenal: Masters of the late goal
Some would argue that last season is a cautionary tale underscoring forgoing potential FA Cup triumph to throw everything into title contention, as Arsenal ended the campaign empty-handed at the campaign’s culmination.
Despite starting without key men Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, Arteta’s side were arguably the more coherent team in defeat to Pep Guardiola’s City side in the domestic cup’s fourth round at the backend of January 2023.
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Arsenal vs Liverpool: Arteta’s conundrum?
However, while Sunday’s game with Liverpool is against another title contender, there are two differences from last January’s meeting with City: Arsenal are taking on the Reds in the third round, and Jurgen Klopp’s men are five points clear of the Gunners, whereas Arteta’s team were five ahead of Guardiola’s side 12 months back.
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The North London side’s defeat by City was overlooked owing to the five-point advantage over the Cityzens, but a defeat by the Reds may be met with a different reaction. Arsenal went into the City loss after a rip-roaring 3-2 win over Manchester United that extended their undefeated Premier League run to nine (seven wins).
The mood was optimistic heading into the fourth round loss to Guardiola’s men, and it stayed that way afterwards due to the club’s promising league position. They undoubtedly had bigger fish to fry.
This time, Arsenal are not quite in the same position. The excitement that typified much of last season’s atmosphere is absent, and the atmosphere is gloomy. Losing not only extends the dim mood that has spread since December but reduces the prospects of claiming a trophy at the backend of this season.
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Despite the understanding that Arsenal are challenging for the top honours again, a major trophy validates the Gunners’ ascent in the last 24 months and gives them credibility.
With last summer’s qualitative additions improving the overall quality, Arteta’s men are better equipped to compete on multiple fronts this term than in the previous campaign. The Arsenal boss was keen to stress the importance of the 2020 FA Cup success in his embryonic managerial career, admitting to the “special feeling” it created.
Despite two Community Shield triumphs in the intervening four years, the same competition that gave Arteta credibility could kickstart Arsenal’s season after their wobble to close out 2023.
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