By Dalena Reporters l January 2, 2026
LONDON — Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal Football Club, has publicly challenged his squad to overcome a longstanding Premier League “New Year jinx” as the Gunners position themselves as serious contenders for the 2025–26 English top-flight title. Arsenal currently sit four points clear at the halfway stage of the campaign, but Arteta is intent on ensuring that their strong start unusual in recent years translates into silverware.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s upcoming match against Bournemouth, Arteta acknowledged that the club has in the past failed to convert a New Year’s Day lead into a title triumph, noting that on the previous five occasions over the past 23 years when Arsenal have finished the calendar year at the top of the Premier League table, they have ultimately fallen short of winning the championship.
“Let’s break it,” Arteta said when asked about the historical statistic, though he admitted he was not previously aware of the record. The Spaniard emphasized that his players have the desire, energy and focus necessary to challenge for the club’s first league title since 2004 — a drought that has grown increasingly topical as the season progresses.
Arteta highlighted that with approximately five months of the season remaining, the team must approach each game “day by day” and maintain concentration on the process rather than on historical pressures. Arsenal are coming off an emphatic 4-1 victory over Aston Villa in late December, a result that boosted confidence and helped solidify their position at the top of the table.
Despite battling a notable injury list throughout the season, including ongoing uncertainties around influential midfielder Declan Rice’s fitness, Arteta’s squad has shown resilience and tactical discipline, qualities he believes could be decisive in sustaining their title push.
Arsenal’s title prospects will be tested in the coming months as they face both domestic challengers and the physical grind of a Premier League campaign — but for Arteta, rewriting the club’s New Year narrative is a symbolic benchmark in the team’s quest to secure top-flight glory.