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Arsenal v Aston Villa - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport
Jude Summerfield

Mikel Arteta issues rallying call and urges Arsenal to break New Year's Day curse by winning Premier League title

M. Arteta
Arsenal
AFC Bournemouth vs Arsenal
Premier League

Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal squad to end their wait for a Premier League title this season. The Gunners have gone close over the past few campaigns, often holding strong positions at the halfway point, but they remain without a trophy since 2020. They are favourites to finish at the top of the pile but will face stern competition from the likes of Manchester City and Aston Villa.

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Over 28 monthsSave 67%
Protect 10 devices with high-speed VPN
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Basic

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.

Over 28 monthsSave 80%
Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
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Advanced

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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.

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  • Arsenal impressive at top of the Premier League table

    Arsenal are undoubtedly favourites to win the 2025-26 Premier League title, sitting four points clear of closest rivals Manchester City at the top of the table. Arteta's side have lost just two of their 19 matches so far and boast the meanest defensive record in the top flight, conceding only 12 goals.

    They've been hit by a fair amount of injuries, especially in defence, but Arsenal's strength in depth has allowed them to rotate players in and remain just as hard to beat. Declan Rice missed the recent game against Aston Villa but it mattered little as they still ran riot in a 4-1 victory, with Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all getting on the scoresheet.

    The north Londoners are in strong positions in other competitions, too. They top the league phase table in the Champions League, producing a perfect record of six wins from six games, and will soon face Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. They also begin their FA Cup campaign this month with a trip to Portsmouth.

  • Arsenal v Aston Villa - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport

    Gunners dogged by memories of failed title challenges

    However, there remains a mental hurdle for Arsenal to overcome in the second half of the season. On the five previous occasions they have finished the calendar year at the top of the tree over the last 23 years, they have failed to make that advantage count and lost out in the title race. The most recent example came in 2022-23, when the Gunners were seven points ahead of City and ended the campaign five points behind their rivals.

    Their lead isn't as big this time around, sitting at four points, but Arsenal's fate remains in their hands and Arteta has all the tools at his disposal to avoid finishing second for a fourth campaign in a row. They have the chance to move seven points clear on Saturday night when they visit Bournemouth, with City hosting Chelsea a day later on Sunday.

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  • Arteta: 'Let's break it'

    During his pre-match press conference on Friday, Arteta claimed not to be aware of the statistic but urged his players to use the previous disappointment as fuel to power them to a first Premier League title since the year of the Invincibles in 2003-04. 

    He said: "Let's break it. 

    "That's what the players transmit every single day when they're with us, training, and in every match. You can see their desire. You can see the energy that they put in, and how much they want it. 

    "There are still five months to go. Let's take it day-by-day, enjoy that process of being where we are, and go for it."

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  • Arsenal v Aston Villa - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport

    Defining month ahead for Arsenal's trophy hopes

    Arsenal will hope to avoid a repeat of their most recent trip to the Vitality Stadium. Arteta saw defender William Saliba receive a red card in the opening half hour before second-half strikes from Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert helped Bournemouth secure a 2-0 victory. However, the Cherries are in a spot of bother this time around, having not won a game since late October, sliding down to 15th in the table.

    After Saturday's fixture, Arsenal host reigning champions Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium before visiting Portsmouth in the FA Cup. They then take on Chelsea in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg before visiting Nottingham Forest and Inter Milan in the Champions League. Arsenal remain without a major trophy since 2020, but they should break that streak provided they hold their nerve in the second half of the season.

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01 Nov 2026

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