Mikel Arteta 'doesnt want to take responsibility' for Arsenal title collapse as body language expert thinks Spaniard knows he's a 'goner' & likely to be sacked soon

In the wake of a danaging 2-1 loss at Manchester City, behavioral analyst Darren Stanton has suggested that Arteta is no longer operating with the confidence of a man secure in his job. Stanton believes the Arsenal manager is intentionally putting the onus on his players to protect his own reputation.

“Mikel Arteta looked anxious and full of stress before the game,” Stanton told OLBG. “His smiles weren’t genuine. He looked tense. Seeing him now in his post-match press conference, there’s now anger in the mix too. Arteta looks angry that he’s been put in this position again, like we saw after the Bournemouth loss, and unfortunately for the Arsenal players I don’t think their manager is wanting to take responsibility for what has happened. He wants to shift the responsibility onto his team for how things have gone rather than accepting accountability himself."

The analysis of Arteta's recent media appearances reveals a manager struggling to contain his emotions as the pressure of the title race reaches a boiling point. Stanton noted specific physiological triggers during the Spaniard's interviews, including lip suppression, which he describes as a physical effort to hold back internal feelings. “We see him going back to what we call lip suppression which is where he is physically holding back what he feels internally so he doesn’t speak out of turn,” Stanton added. “He’s not saying what he really thinks when he’s asked about the morale of the team or other questions."

With Arsenal having gone from quadruple contenders to potentially finishing the season empty-handed, the expert believes Arteta is fully aware that his job security is tied to silverware. The lack of a trophy could be the final straw for the Emirates hierarchy, and the manager’s own demeanor indicates he is preparing for the worst.

Stanton added: “For whatever the reasons are, Arteta has looked super stressed. Unless he can pull the rabbit out of the hat in the last few games, he knows they won’t win anything, and it looks like he thinks he's going to be goner too in his own job. I think the pressure's mounting even more now. I think how Arsenal respond to this latest setback in the next couple of games, and whether they can perform in the Champions League too, will tell us a lot but I think Arteta believes trophies will be the deciding factor."

With only a handful of games remaining in the season, every tactical decision and press conference statement is being magnified. The Gunners are desperate to keep their title hopes alive and progress in Europe, but the psychological weight of the campaign appears to be heavy. According to the analysis, the next few weeks will determine not just Arsenal's trophy count, but the manager's career path.

“If he fails to win even one this season, he looks like a man who already thinks he will be sent packing,” Stanton added. “The next few weeks are going to make all the difference to his career as a manager and whether he stays at Arsenal or not. We see distinct signs of pressure, stress and anger. He’s searching his feelings for answers that he is struggling to find.”