Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will not win the Premier League this season if the Gunners do not improve in both boxes

Arsenal's season took a blow with a 2-0 loss to West Ham on Thursday night; the Gunners had 30 shots and 77 touches in the West Ham box without scoring, but Mikel Arteta says there is no panic; watch Fulham vs Arsenal live on Sky Sports this Sunday from 1pm; kick-off 2pm

@SamBIitz

Friday 29 December 2023 12:00, UK

Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal side won't win the Premier League unless they improve at both ends of the pitch, after their title charge took a hit against West Ham.

The Gunners were beaten 2-0 in Thursday night's London derby despite Arteta's side having 30 shots on goal and 77 touches in the Hammers box — the most in a single Premier League match since the 2008/09 season for a team who failed to score.

And for the second season in a row, Arsenal have dropped points in consecutive matches against Liverpool and West Ham. Last season saw the Gunners' title charge come off its wheels in April, but Arteta is playing down this latest blip.

«There's no panic, it's about trying to do more and do better and win games,» Arteta said. «If the team is playing like this, then you're going to go and win a lot of games.

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»If we don't improve in the boxes, then no [we won't win the league]. Because at the end, that [the West Ham result] is what it is.

«But generating the rest, it was a record. So I don't think there are many teams in the league who have done that over many years, so it's something positive I think.»

Ahead of Sunday's trip to Fulham, live on Sky Sports, Arsenal have made just one change to the Premier League starting line-up in their last three top-flight matches — and that singular switch was enforced as Kai Havertz was suspended against the Hammers