Arsenal have been transformed into Premier League title challengers under Mikel Arteta this season. The Gunners are just nine games away from lifting their first Premier League title since 2004 with an eight-point lead over Manchester City.
A lot can still change with 27 points still up for grabs until the end of the season, with Arsenal still needing to face Liverpool at Anfield, City at the Etihad Stadium, Newcastle at St. James' Park and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners may not have been in this position if it wasn't for the club standing by Arteta at the end of the last term following a disappointing end to the 2021/22 campaign.
Arsenal missed out on Champions League qualification at the hands of their north London rivals Tottenham with many pundits and fans suggesting Arteta could be sacked. The Gunners backed the manager with further signings ahead of the 2022/23 campaign which has led to them challenging City for the title.
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One of the first managers to publicly urge Arsenal to back Arteta despite some difficult moments leading up to this season was former Chelsea and Everton boss - Frank Lampard. The 44-year-old told the north London outfit to give the Spaniard time to turn things around at the Emirates Stadium in December 2020, and Lampard has now been proven right with Arsenal's amazing form this term.
Speaking in December 2020, Lampard said: "Expectations are higher at clubs like the ones we are both managing [Arsenal and Chelsea], but I don’t think it’s a case of him being a young manager. I see him as a very talented manager, and we’ve seen examples of clubs who have built really strong squads over the last three or four years.
"The dominant teams over that period, Manchester City and Liverpool, have had time to work and improve the squad. They went through tough moments, and they were given time to improve through those moments.
"It’s only then that you really learn about players, the team and the squad as a whole. I’m not talking specifically about Mikel here, but just generally in the Premier League.
"If you come into a club that’s going through a period of certain transition, I think it’s very understandable there will be lots of situations and work that you need to do in order to get the club where you want it to be. It’s not all rosy as that’s not football.
"That’s not to do with the manager. I think Mikel is a highly talented coach and manager, and his team are really just going through a recent patch of difficult form.
"That’s very commonplace in the Premier League as it’s a very tough league. I’ve got huge respect for Mikel and for Arsenal. They have a quality set of players."
Arteta was given the time to build a talented squad of players that is now on the brink of making history this season. Arsenal do not look like they will be going away any time soon with a group of young players, mixed with experience and further additions expected in the summer - it could be the start of a Gunners' dominant era.
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