Can Arsenal Win the Premier League Under Mikel Arteta?

Arsenal came agonizingly close to winning the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, but a former player has expressed doubts over manager Mikel Arteta’s ability to take the team all the way.

Arteta has led Arsenal to second place behind Manchester City in each of the last two Premier League seasons, with the Gunners finishing just two points behind Pep Guardiola’s side in 2023/24. However, the north Londoners looked to be in a commanding position in both seasons, only to be overtaken by City in the final weeks to end up empty-handed.

Mikel Arteta

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has expressed his doubts over Arteta’s ability to win the Premier League. “Arteta has done really well bringing Arsenal up, but if he is the right man for Arsenal now… I am not sure,” Lehmann told The Telegraph in an interview.

Lehmann is unsure whether Arteta has the winning mentality needed to get Arsenal over the line in the Premier League. He added: “What people who hire coaches sometimes don’t understand is that the personality of the coach is super important as well.”

“Look at the personality of the coach. Is he a winner, or is he a nice guy who brings you to a certain level and then it is over?”

Lehmann’s comments have sparked a debate over Arteta’s ability to take Arsenal to the next level. Can the Gunners win the Premier League under his leadership, or is it time for a change?

Arsenal FC

The 2023/24 season was a case in point. Arsenal looked to be cruising to the title, but a series of draws and a defeat in April saw them slip behind Manchester City. Lehmann pinpointed the moment when [Bukayo] Saka missed a penalty against West Ham at 2-0 up, which ended in a draw, as a turning point.

Bukayo Saka

“Last year, they were leading, and in one month [April], they lost it [three draws and one defeat]. The culmination was when [Bukayo] Saka missed the penalty against West Ham at 2-0 up and it was a draw. It was two points,” Lehmann said.

The question on everyone’s lips is: can Arsenal win the Premier League under Mikel Arteta? Only time will tell.

Premier League