Mikel Arteta has challenged league-leading Arsenal to continue where they left off and claim the club's first Elite League championship since 2004 when English football's premier league resumes from the World Cup break.
When the league unexpectedly ended so that Qatar could host the first winter World Cup, the Gunners were in outstanding form, winning 12 of their previous 14 games. All season, fans and analysts have argued about whether the break would help or hinder clubs' ambitions. Gabriel Jesus is out of the Arsenal lineup after suffering a knee injury in Brazil's heartbreaking World Cup loss to Cameroon and returning home with the ailment.
But Arteta remained upbeat as his team prepared to meet Premier League rivals West Ham at the Emirates on Monday: "You know, I want the squad to play a specific style, and the more constant we are on that, the more we are going to win. There is enthusiasm, and we should embrace that energy and the chance that is in front of us, he told "Sky Sports."
Arsenal are presently five points ahead of Manchester City, the defending champions. When they take on the bottom-placed Leeds on Wednesday, they will be the last title contenders to play during the round of matches over the Boxing Day holiday.
Supported financially by the Saudi Arabian government, third-place Newcastle travels to Leicester on Monday. The Magpies haven’t won a major domestic trophy since 1955, and the northeast club is desperate to end that drought. Howe deployed all five of his players who had been in Qatar in a tough 1-0 win over Premier League rivals Bournemouth that sealed a spot in the last eight of the League Cup. It is still possible for Newcastle to make the Champions League since fourth- and fifth-place Tottenham and Manchester United are right on their heels.
Given their prominence, United may be under the most pressure to finish in the top four. Still, manager Erik ten Hag has stated: “I also think for the manager of Chelsea (Graham Potter), of Newcastle (Eddie Howe), all those clubs invest a lot in their squad. So for every manager, it’s a big pressure to get into the Champions League, that’s clear.”
Antonio Conte, manager of Tottenham, is sure that Harry Kane will have recovered from his World Cup disappointment by the time his team faces Brentford. When Liverpool travels to face Aston Villa on Monday, the club will look to regain its season-long footing.
Now in last place in the Premier League, Wolves will be led by former Spain and Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui, who will make his Premier League debut on the road against Everton. “For me, the only goal ahead is the next match,” said Lopetegui, who took over for the fired Bruno Lage. Lopetegui led his team to a League Cup victory against Gillingham earlier this week.
On Monday, Fulham will play Crystal Palace for the first time since the passing of England 1966 World Cup champion and Fulham legend George Cohen, who passed away at 83. The Premier League has announced that all top-flight matches between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day would feature a moment of applause in Cohen’s honour, with players and officials donning black armbands in tribute.