Mikel Arteta has tough words for Arsenal players: “You don’t want noise?”
The Gunners manager issued a rallying cry to the team ahead of Sunday’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal know that they will be the team under pressure for Sunday’s derby game against North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to just two points after Manchester City secured a 2-1 win over Newcastle United on Saturday.
The last time Arsenal won the title was in the 2003/04 season, when Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ went an entire league campaign without losing. Arsenal have finished second in each of the last three seasons and are now faced with a challenge from an in-form Man City.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s North London Derby, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta laid out a challenge to his players. With 11 games remaining in the 2025/26 Premier League season, Arteta wants his team to seize the moment and make history.
“You ask them the question: do you want to be part of the noise? Or not?” Arteta explained. “If not, go and do something else, be part of a different club.”
“And everybody has been demanding for 10 years, 15 years that we need to go back there [competing for a championship] and now we are there. And now what? You don’t want noise?”
“Noise is part of it and the bullets are part of that and we try to deal with it in the right way and achieve what we are looking for.”
Arteta will be hoping that a comprehensive victory over Spurs can set his team up for the all-important run-in as they continue to challenge on all fronts. The Gunners host Chelsea next weekend and have two games against Man City still to play. The first comes in the EFL Cup final on March 22, and the second a potential title shoot-out on April 18. Building some momentum now could prove crucial in the weeks and months to come.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.