Arsenal ‘will come back stronger’
MIKEL Arteta vowed Arsenal would come back stronger and win the Premier League after they suffered title heartbreak for a second season in a row.
The Gunners claimed a late 2-1 win over Everton on the final day but Manchester City’s 3-1 victory at home to West Ham crowned them champions for a fourth consecutive year.
Any chances of last-day jeopardy appeared minimal from the outset, but were reduced even further when City scored twice early on before Idrissa Gueye’s deflected free-kick in the 40th minute put the visitors ahead at the Emirates.
Takehiro Tomiyasu levelled three minutes later, which was around the time West Ham reduced the deficit at the Etihad, but there would be no dramatic twist.
A tap-in by Kai Havertz with a minute left did at least ensure the Gunners ended a brilliant season on 89 points to show further signs of progress under their Spanish coach, who is determined to help his squad go one better next season.
“First of all congrats to Manchester City for winning the Premier League,” Arteta reflected.
“Today some mixed emotions. First of all, to be really proud of the staff and those players.
“They’ve done an incredible job and they have pushed every limit and every margin that we could to try to win this Premier League.”
“There’s only one way to do it you have to be more determined, you have to be more ambitious, you have to have a lot of courage and push every limit in everything that we have. That’s the next step.
“If we do what we have to do, we’re going to be closer and at the end we’ll win it. When? I don’t know, but if we keep knocking and being that close, in the end it will happen.”
Arsenal had been close to perfect in the league since the turn of the year with this a 16th victory from 18 games in 2024.
One of the two fixtures where they dropped points was a goalless draw at the Etihad, which proved decisive as Pep Guardiola’s side clinched the title by two points, but Arteta pinpointed the 2-0 loss to Aston Villa last month as more crucial.
He also referenced the late miss by Tottenham captain Son Heungmin in their midweek defeat to City.
Arteta added: “For sure, Aston Villa at home. In the first half it should have been 4-0.
“Maybe the story would have been different. What happened last Tuesday, maybe we could have been champions.
“These are the margins that are so, so, so small. That’s the credit that the club and the team should take.”