Mikel Arteta references Son Heung-min miss again with 'margins' lesson as Arsenal look to finally end 22-year wait for Premier League title

In May 2024, Tottenham were facing Pep Guardiola’s relentless Manchester City, and Arsenal’s title hopes hinged on their rivals - if Spurs at least drew, the Gunners would go into the final day of that season top of the table. With City leading 1-0 in the dying minutes, Son raced clear on goal, one-on-one with substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who had replaced Ederson. A goal would’ve made it 1-1 and surely kept Arsenal in first place, but Ortega stood tall, made himself big, and parried the effort away. City went on to win the match 2-0 and the Premier League title on the next matchday by just two points. Arsenal's hopes were dashed and after that painful miss, Son admitted to the profound emotional toll it took on him.

"I’m also human," Son told the Evening Standard later in an interview. "But I take the responsibility not to score that big chance for the team, because the team was working really hard and trying to get a good result."

That miss from Son reshaped the landscape of English football in ways no one could’ve imagined. Tottenham were licking their wounds from missing out on the top four, but later embarked on a remarkable run through Europe and went on to win the Europa League, ending a 17-year trophy drought. Aston Villa, who finished fourth thanks to City’s win, secured Champions League football for the first time since 1983. But for Arsenal and Arteta, it was nothing short of agony.

As Arsenal once again find themselves top of the table, four points clear of second-placed Bournemouth, Arteta reflected on that defining night when asked if this could finally be the season they go all the way.

"At the end, you learn that the margins at the end to achieve it or not are multiple," he said. "So it can be that an opposition player is one against one against the keeper, he scores that goal, you are champion. The other keeper saves it you are not champion. It can be other injuries, it can be other decisions, it can be a mistake of mine, it can be that many factors that we cannot control that outcome or we can control it while we can do the best. That's it."

Arteta learnt through heartbreak that perfection isn’t always rewarded. However, this season, the Gunners have been in fine form and look perfectly in control of their destiny, at least for now. But he refuses to get carried away.

"So it's a lot of factors that have a lot of factors that have to go your way. You can do a lot of great things, and still a lot of things have to go your way, and the injuries and the players that you have to play, and they have to be there, and the personal lives have to be perfect because if not, it can unbalance," he went on a rant. "It's so many things guys, and it's still so so long, and we've seen already the turnaround in the league and going to the Champions League is the same. All the leagues are the same. We are not really in a specific context at the moment, and let's focus day by day."

Arsenal have come close to being crowned champions but have always fallen short in the last lap. When Arteta was asked, when does the title race start for him, he fired back: "In pre-season. So, for me it's the first day in pre-season just trying to prepare the team and individuals in the best possible way and go with them back in because this is it's going to be so long.

"We have to focus on the journey and what we have to do every single day. Fixing the outcome, of course, we want to win it, and the preparation is towards that. Great. And now we have set all the protocols, processes, ambitions, everything and now you have to focus on what you have to do. If not, you get distracted with the rest, and I don't want any of that in and around the team."

It’s been more than two decades since Arsenal’s Invincibles stormed to an unbeaten league title under Arsene Wenger. Since then, the north London giants have endured countless false dawns, near-misses, and seasons that promised so much but fell apart under pressure. However, there is a renewed belief in the squad as they appear determined to right those wrongs and finally bring back the Premier League trophy to the Emirates.