Mikel Arteta’s deadline to win title with Arsenal as pressure mounts – ‘They must feel it’

Arsenal stunningly dropped points against Wolves in the latest twist of the Premier League title race

Gary Neville’s declaration that the Premier League is Arsenal’s to win is starting to look more ominous.

The Manchester United icon has picked the Gunners to claim the title for four consecutive years, but it was this season where he left no doubt in his stance that the consistency of Mikel Arteta’s side would lead them to their first league title since 2004. The north London outfit have reigned supreme at the top of the table since October, and even after a brutal 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in early December, they bounced back immediately and rattled off five wins in a row.

However, 2026 hasn’t been too kind to the Gunners, with just two league wins in eight games. Following their latest stumble against Wolves, pressure has intensified on whether Arsenal can achieve their Premier League dreams.

After leading 2-0 against the Midlands side, Hugo Bueno’s second-half strike and Tom Edozie’s stoppage-time finish saw the Gunners miss out on maximum points and lose the chance to strengthen their lead at the top. It was in October when Neville insisted the 2025/26 campaign was Arsenal’s time to win the league.

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He said on the self-titled Gary Neville Podcast: “This has got to be them, hasn’t it? This has got to be their year. This is the fourth season on the bounce that I’ve had them to win the league, but they’re not necessarily miles better, they’re repeating their levels of consistency, and that’s all they’re going to have to do this year to win the league.

“They’re not going to have to go and get 100 points, they’re not going to have to get even 90 or 95 points to win the league, mid-80s, high 80s will win them this title, and they can do that. I mentioned before about the other teams [being] inconsistent and unreliable, that’s not this Arsenal team. They’re very reliable. You can trust them.”

Praising their defensive strength and strong squad depth, Neville added: “The way in which they defend is fantastic. They’re all around each other. They don’t concede goals. They’ve got a threat up front in multiple areas.

“They’ve not got a sensational centre-forward, but they’ve got a battering ram up there as honest as a day’s long, and that can work for them. They’ve got [Eberechi] Eze, they’ve got so they’ve got [Noni] Madueke, [Gabriel] Martinelli, [Leandro] Trossard, lots of players who can contribute goals.

“They’ve got [Declan] Rice who can obviously deliver in set-pieces. They’ve got four fantastic full-backs and three excellent centre-backs.” The pundit was decisive in his verdict and claimed even the players must feel they’re getting closer to earning the ultimate prize.

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He explained: “So there are a lot of very good things going for Arsenal. It’s about making sure now they don’t get carried away. It’s about making sure they just keep doing the same things. They don’t need to do anything spectacular here. Just keep doing your jobs. Keep doing what you do, and you will win this league.

“It’s yours to win. This is your title, Arsenal. I’ve never really felt that sure before. It’s so early in the season, it’s madness for someone with the experience that I’ve got of winning titles to say that, ‘It’s yours,’ but it really is.

“They must feel it themselves. The Arsenal fans must feel it. They must know that this is the moment that Arsenal can get back on top. This is a moment for Mikel Arteta, for these players, for Arsenal to represent themselves as being the best in the country. The chance and the opportunity is there for them, they’ve got to go and take it.”

Neville’s insistence that Arteta has to win the league this year is a belief shared by other pundits, including Wayne Rooney and Jamie O’Hara. Only time will tell if another heartbreak proves to be a breaking point for the Spaniard.

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