Arsenal given Premier League title talk timeline as "mad" Mikel Arteta mentality notion shot down

Arsenal are not in the process of 'bottling' the Premier League title, and any attempts to question the Gunners' mentality are "mad", expert Charles Watts has told Sports Mole.

Following Wednesday's 3-0 cruise against Club Brugge in the Champions League, attention turns back to domestic action for the Gunners, who have been lacking consistency in recent Premier League gameweeks.

Mikel Arteta's side won five top-flight matches on the spin from September 28 to November 1, but they have since prevailed in just two of their last five, being held to draws by Sunderland and Chelsea before last weekend's excruciating 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.

The Lions and Manchester City are now within touching distance of Arsenal in the Premier League table, leading to online discourse about the Gunners already 'bottling' the title after their near-misses in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

However, Watts has shot down those suggestions, saying: "It's mad - it's their first defeat since the start of September. They’ve been on a brilliant run, they've gone to some really difficult places and avoided defeat, and they were seconds away from avoiding defeat at a team who's absolutely flying - the most in-form team in the Premier League at the moment.

“It was always going to be a tough game, especially with the injuries and at the end of the most demanding of fortnights. I have to admit, the whole thing felt like this could be one game too far for Arsenal.

Charles Watts: 'Mad to call Arsenal mentality into question'

“At the end of such a bruising - physically and emotionally - run that they've had, I wasn't overly surprised that they lost. I was disappointed, obviously, and frustrated, but I can't say I was shocked. Aston Villa’s home record is unbelievable - they beat Man City at home just a few weeks ago – so I don't think you can call the mentality into question at all.

“They did all they could to get themselves over the line and get themselves at least a point. They were one clearance away from doing that. That ball gets cleared out the penalty area, the full-time whistle goes. That was the difference between a very good point and a defeat.”

With Man City also failing to string a run of wins together and Liverpool in disarray, a handful of observers have affirmed that the title is already Arsenal's to lose, including Sam Dean of The Telegraph.

Arteta's men were hitherto six points clear at the top of the pile in November, but results going against them this weekend could allow both Villa - three points behind - and Man City - two points behind - to leapfrog them.

However, that scenario is unlikely given that Arsenal host a Wolverhampton Wanderers side on course to become the worst Premier League team in history, collecting a meagre two points from their opening 15 games of the season.

Watts has repeatedly affirmed that it is far too early to say that the title is Arsenal's to lose, and in his view, another couple of months must pass before talk of a title fight can really ramp up.

Charles Watts gives Arsenal timeline for Premier League title talk

“It's 15 games – there’s still 23 to go," he added. "The table is beginning to take shape, but it's not until January, February that you really start to think ‘they're that far behind, we're this far ahead’.

“There's so much football to be played. We're still in the early stages of the season. The whole thing about it being Arsenal's to lose, they can't lose it from here. Lose it from where?! There's always going to be difficult periods, they were going to have four or five games where results haven't gone their way. I imagine they'll have another one at some stage.

“It's about how you respond to that and get some momentum going again. I really liked the response from Arsenal – we’ve all seen the video of the players banging the turf. You could see how much that goal hurt them.

“They're proud of the unbeaten record, they wanted to keep it, they put so much effort into those couple of weeks and you could see what it meant when that goal went in. They were devastated and they've really got to use that.”

Arsenal's clash with Wolves this weekend could see Gabriel Jesus make his first Premier League appearance since January 4, and Arteta highlighted one "special quality" that the Brazilian possesses after he made his comeback from an ACL injury on Wednesday evening.

> Click here to listen to the full discussion on Arsenal's Premier League title chances