At only two points behind Manchester City, Arsenal was eerily close to winning the Premier League. Man City set a record for most consecutive Premier League titles in English top-flight football by winning their fourth straight championship. Under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners have made big strides. They trailed City by five points at the end of the 2022–2023 season and by only two points in the 2023–24 campaign.
Former Arsenal player Cesc Fabregas feels the squad needs a prolific striker to win the league. There is a huge disparity between the top scorers of the two teams. Erling Haaland led the Premier League with 27 goals for Man City and took home the golden boot for the second straight year. With 16 goals, Bukayo Saka was Arsenal’s best scorer, nevertheless. This disparity in goal scoring ability reveals areas in which Arsenal has to improve.
Arsenal’s requirements were covered by Fabregas on the BBC Sounds Planet Premier League podcast. He made the observation that although Man City has the luxury of having two formidable teams that may win the league, Arsenal does not. He underlined Arsenal needs depth in their team in addition to a prolific striker. When injuries or exhaustion come in, depending too much on players like Saka, Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, and William Saliba puts them at a disadvantage.
Cesc Fabregas Reveals How Arsenal Can Beat Manchester City For The Premier League Title
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz performed well as a false nine this season, but it’s not his natural position. Arsenal was unable to surpass Man City thanks to the goals of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah. Fabregas maintains that Arsenal would be much closer to winning the championship if they could find a quality striker who can ensure 30 goals a season.
This summer, Arteta is eager to make up for the absence of a top-tier striker on the team. Having such a player unavailable has been a big problem. Arsenal failed to score the necessary goals in the league and Champions League because of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
The North London club need a merciless striker who can lighten the scoring load and provide them a competitive advantage against opponents who play strong defense. Finding that last component to take Arsenal over the line and break Man City’s Premier League supremacy will be Arteta’s top priority this summer.
What did he say?
He said:
‘I think it’s funny because the other day you are watching both games at the same time and when you think about it you say, “Wow, Man City really have like two teams basically that could win the Premier League”.
‘Arsenal don’t in this regard, so for me it’s a bit of everything.
‘Yes, they do need a bit of depth to keep pushing, pushing, pushing during the season and not rely always on Saka or [Declan] Rice or [Thomas] Partey if he’s injured or not or on [William] Saliba.
‘But also, in my opinion – and he’s done really, really well but obviously it’s not his main position – Havertz, he’s had a fantastic season, but if Arsenal can manage to get a top, top striker that can guarantee you 30 goals a season, then they will be much, much, much closer to getting it [the title].’