Arteta’s Pre-Match Pledge: Arsenal Are Premier League’s Top Points Earners in 3 Years! New Season Aims for Title, Trossard & Strand Larsen Ready

Arsenal will kick off their Premier League season with a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, and manager Mikel Arteta struck a determined tone at his pre-match press conference. He not only emphasized his side’s "top points total in the Premier League over the past three seasons" but also stated clearly that Arsenal will push for the title this term, while updating on the fitness of key players.
Talking about the new season, Arteta could barely contain his excitement: "I’m super excited and ready! This is our chance to show our strength again—everyone at the club has this winning mindset, and we’re all driven to do better and hit our targets."
On player fitness, he delivered positive news:
Leandro Trossard is "feeling much better. I think he can train again tomorrow, and if that’s the case, he’ll be fit to play against United—that’s crucial for us";
Jørgen Strand Larsen is "getting better every day. He hasn’t trained much with us yet, but let’s see what he can do on Sunday";
New signing Ander Herrera Sukalmendi has "adapted really well. He’s made a huge impact in midfield, and he’s fit."
Regarding further summer signings, Arteta delegated full authority: "I’ll leave that to Edu Gaspar—he’s a professional, and he’s brought in some great players this year. It’s been a pleasure working with him, so he’ll decide if we sign more players. We trust him completely."
Facing a tough opening fixture, he was resolute: "We have to be ready at some point. We’ll take it one game at a time, prepare as best we can, and earn the right to win. That’s our goal—we want to win every game, no matter who the opponent is." Asked how many teams could challenge for the title, he laughed: "So many—too many to name all at once! The Premier League has so many competitive sides now, and they’re getting stronger. Even some you might not notice have dark horse potential—that’s what makes the league special. But for Arsenal, if we keep digging and digging, one day the gold medal will be there waiting for us. To have more points than any other team in this league over three seasons is incredible. Now we just need to do it in one season, and we’ll keep fighting for the title—that’s our aim."
Addressing comments suggesting replacing Martin Ødegaard as captain, Arteta set the record straight: "I held a meeting, and it was also the opinion of the staff and players. We voted on who would be captain, and everyone at the club chose the same person—it’s Ødegaard. That’s what the players think, and I won’t say more about it." Speaking about the team’s mood, he added: "The staff come in with smiles every day. They’re confident about this season, and that excitement just keeps growing."
Finally, on competition for places, he admitted: "There will be players on the bench—some will get minutes, some won’t. We’ve moved to another level, one we’ve never faced before."