Mikel Arteta tells English Premier League leaders Arsenal to ‘learn’ while winning

LONDON – Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said his side have to learn to kill games off while they are winning, after reclaiming top spot in the English Premier League with a 1-0 win at Everton on Dec 20.

Viktor Gyokeres scored the only goal from the penalty spot to register his first goal since Nov 1, as the Gunners moved two points clear of Manchester City once more.

But, after needing a stoppage-time own goal to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, Arteta was again made to sweat for the 96 minutes on Merseyside against a depleted Everton.

The Toffees rarely threatened, but had strong appeals for a penalty themselves turned down in the second half, when William Saliba caught Thierno Barry.

“The margin should have been bigger,” said Arteta. “We have to learn while we are winning.”

The Spaniard, however, also praised his team’s grit.

“(Winning was) very important. You need to enjoy the process of winning, and that is going to be a hard moment, a difficult moment, a great moment,” he said.

“That’s all part of that intention and how close we are to winning, and that's what we have to enjoy.” 

It is the third time in four years that Arteta’s men will top the table on Christmas Day.

However, on the previous two occasions they were reeled in by a rampant City.

Pep Guardiola’s men have won seven consecutive games in all competitions to whittle down what was a seven-point gap at the top.

Arteta, though, praised the consistency of his players to continue pushing for a first league title in 22 years.

“It gives me belief and confidence the performances and consistency of the team,” he told AFP. “That is very difficult to do in this league and that means the team is constantly there.”

Everton missed the goalscoring threat of the injured Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye, who has departed for the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.

David Moyes again bemoaned his lack of a striker as they failed to score despite a spirited display.

“You can play as well as you like and do good things but we need to get some goals,” said the Scot.

“We’ve not had goals in the last two games, which is the bit that’s been missing, really.

“We done a lot of things, the players’ effort, the spirit. Everything you’d want them to do, they did tonight. It was just a bit of quality or trying to hurt Arsenal a bit more.”

Earlier on Dec 20, Guardiola struck a balance between congratulating and warning his City players after their 3-0 victory over West Ham United lifted them provisionally to the top, before Arsenal’s win at Merseyside.

“I said ​to the players, ‘Merry Christmas but it will not be enough if you will not improve’,” the Spaniard said. “It’s good to be there (provisionally top of the table) but I’m telling you we have to improve ​our game.”

Erling ​Haaland bagged a double, while Tijjani Reijnders also scored in City’s fifth successive league victory.

But Guardiola the perfectionist was quick to point out the negatives and temper his praise.

“I’m so happy – we are in good position and close to the top of the league... but ​what will define the team is how we improve. Today was clear we were not in the right spots and we have to improve.

“We will be there. If they follow me, we’ll be there. I know the level in this Premier League, I know Arsenal, I know the other teams, I know how ​tough they are. It’s not enough.”

The team’s spirit and hunger – qualities Guardiola felt were missing last season – have returned.

“Spirit is there. Didn’t have that last season – the spirit, the aggression and the hunger – all these attributes that they need,” he said. “It comes from inside.”

The City boss also praised Haaland, whose brace gave him 104 goals in 114 league appearances, topping Cristiano Ronaldo’s 103 goals in England’s top flight.

Haaland reached the mark in less than half the time it took Ronaldo. AFP, REUTERS