Arsenal are six points clear at the top of the Premier League, with Mikel Arteta discussing a private chat with one of his stars as a transfer move hasn’t worked out so far
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are flying high in all competitions
Arsenal maintained their advantage in the Premier League title race with a ruthless 3-0 triumph over Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
After Manchester City’s victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side remain six points clear at the Premier League summit as they seek to finally claim top spot after three successive runner-up campaigns. The North London giants are desperate to end their 22-year title drought and clinch major silverware.
With each match growing in significance, the heat is now on as the Gunners prepare to take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Thursday evening. Here’s all the latest news from the Emirates.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri has so far endured a tough time out on loan at Marseille(Image: Franco Arland/Getty Images)
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Nwaneri Marseille decision
Given Arteta’s squad has been lighting up the Premier League thus far, the choice was taken during the January window to loan out promising talent Ethan Nwaneri to Ligue 1 side Marseille for crucial first-team experience following limited senior opportunities earlier in the campaign.
Yet the 18-year-old has encountered a tough spell after an initially encouraging French debut, as his team suffered a crushing defeat to title contenders PSG on Sunday.
Les Olympiens endured a devastating 5-0 hammering, with Nwaneri facing the embarrassment of being hauled off at the interval for the second consecutive match. Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi, previously of Brighton, justified his decision to withdraw the player post-match, citing the necessity to ‘shield’ the forward following his arrival at the club.
“As for Nwaneri, he wasn’t having a great night,” De Zerbi said. “He wasn’t getting much support from his team-mates. He needed to be protected, like all young players.”
Private Arteta conversation surfaces
Mikel Arteta with Viktor Gyokeres(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal gaffer Mikel Arteta has lifted the lid on what he told Viktor Gyokeres when he broke the news the Sweden striker wouldn’t be getting the nod from kick-off against Sunderland.
The Spanish boss chose to hand Gabriel Jesus the starting berth, but Gyokeres was thrown into the action during the second half, coming on for Jesus in the 60th minute before netting a brace.
After the match, Arteta disclosed he’d already mapped out for the £63.5million summer acquisition to come off the bench and leave his mark.
Arsenal have a six point lead at the top of the Premier League(Image: 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)
Arteta told Viaplay Fotball: “He’s in a really good run at the moment. When he saw the line-up and he wasn’t in, his reaction was immediately… ready! I told him: ‘You’re going to be coming on and you can make a huge impact!’”
When quizzed by ex-Premier League striker turned Viaplay pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft about whether he’d specified exactly how long Gyokeres would get on the pitch, the Spaniard responded: “Not the exact minutes because I don’t know that.
“But the fact that he was going to play a big part and we’re going to need him to win the game.”