Jérémie Aliadière insists Mikel Arteta remains the man to lead Arsenal despite Manchester City title blow

The 2025/26 Premier League season has reached a fever pitch, and for the third time in four years, we have a relentless tug-of-war between North London and Manchester. As we move into the final weeks of the season, Arsenal fans are tinged with a familiar sense of anxiety following a pivotal clash at the summit. The Gunners, seeking their first league title in over two decades are topping the table but Manchester City have clawed their way back and reduced the gap.

Following the recent direct encounter between the two heavyweights, the momentum appears to have shifted toward the Etihad. For many observers, the result felt like a definitive moment in the title race, placing the destiny of the trophy back into the hands of the Citizens. Former Arsenal striker Jérémie Aliadière admits that while the advantage has swung, the race is far from a mathematical certainty.

Manchester City take control of the title race

Following the latest round of fixtures, there is a growing consensus among the Emirates faithful that the initiative has slipped. Aliadière acknowledges that the control now lies firmly with the blue half of Manchester, though he notes that certain fixtures still pose a threat to the leaders and the bookmakers certainly agree. Just by using a bet calculator, you can see there is hardly any difference in returns by backing them.

"If City win every single game now it will be their title so in their heads they’ve got it in their hands but they will have to win the Burnley game. When you play you’d rather be in control of what you do and for Arsenal it’s in Manchester City’s hands and they will be champions."

Despite the narrative of a shift in power, the Frenchman believes that the unpredictable nature of the modern Premier League means the door is not yet fully closed for Arsenal. He suggests that the level of competition across the league is such that even the most dominant teams are susceptible to dropping points where they might have previously expected an easy victory.

"For Arsenal it’s a disappointing result and it’s a tough one to accept but I still have hope and the feeling that City won’t win all their games so I think there will be some twists and turns and surprises. I think football now in the Premier League means you can lose points anywhere, at any point, and in any game so nothing is guaranteed anymore. Even the games back in the day which would be easy are now difficult games. There are no bad teams and everyone has something to play for."

Optimism remains despite a disappointing result

While the scoreboard told one story, the tactical display from the Gunners suggested a team willing to take more risks. Aliadière was quick to point out that the level of performance against Pep Guardiola’s men was perhaps the most encouraging sign in recent weeks.

"I’m still optimistic and there’s a lot to play for. Since Arsenal lost in the Carabao Cup final, the performance on Sunday against City was the best I’ve seen and I was quite pleased. The team gave it a good go and on another day we could have won that game. It was a very competitive game. I’m disappointed with the result but quite pleased with the performance."

Dissecting the responsibility and the "bottlers" label

When a title charge stutters, the conversation often turns toward accountability and the psychological resilience of the squad. In the wake of what some critics are calling a capitulation, questions have been raised regarding who shoulders the most responsibility and whether the squad deserves the "bottlers" tag. The ex-Gunner dismisses a singular focus on blame, pointing instead to a complex web of factors that contribute to a team's struggles during the high-pressure ‘run-in’.

"There are so many reasons for Arsenal’s recent struggles. It’s a lot of things and factors that come into it."

A significant concern for the Gunners this season has been the perceived drop-off in quality beyond the starting line-up. While the squad appeared robust in August, Aliadière observes that as the pressure has mounted, the confidence in the secondary options has diminished, mirroring issues seen in previous campaigns.

"A few months ago we were talking about the depth in the squad and now we’ve gone back to what happened last year where you don’t trust the players you’ve got on the bench. You’ve got your starting 11 but some of the players on the bench haven’t played so well."

"We’ve gone into that situation when at the start of the season you had confidence no matter who was in the starting 11. There was quality everywhere."

The debate over the "bottlers" label often overlooks the underlying causes of a dip in form. Aliadière argues that while the talent in the squad is undeniable, the physical and mental demands of chasing a near-perfect opponent can take a heavy toll.

"Don't get me wrong. I’m one of those believers that quality doesn’t go away so I still believe that the players that haven’t performed at their best are still quality players. But what is the reason and the factor that leads to them not performing?"

"It could be injuries, tiredness, the end of the season, it could be they’ve played too much. There are so many factors. And most importantly the pressure. The pressure of seeing City coming back and Arsenal dropping points. You start worrying and can’t help it or hide from it. Seeing them win games every weekend."

The physical toll and the impact of the schedule

Fatigue is a tangible enemy in the modern game, and the former Arsenal attacker highlights how the relentless schedule, combined with key absences like Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, has impacted the team's ability to maintain high-intensity performances. He suggests that Manchester City may have found a secondary advantage in their earlier exit from European competition, allowing them more recovery time than Mikel Arteta's side.

"It might have benefited City going out of the Champions League early because now all their focus is on the Premier League. They still got the FA Cup but they can rest, prepare for their games and they have more time."

"Arsenal have been playing back to back to back games with high intensity and high pressure and they’re now paying the price. I know it’s difficult to choose which competitions to prioritise because when you think you have the squad to compete for every trophy."

"But now they might be thinking they should have rested players when you look at Saka’s injuries and Ødegaard has been out and just came back. Major players have been out for quite a while this season and while the squad is stronger, Arsenal are still being impacted by the schedule."

Why Mikel Arteta is still the man for the job

With a potential fourth successive runners-up finish being discussed, questions regarding the leadership of Mikel Arteta have inevitably arisen. Aliadière is firm in his belief that the manager’s transformational work at the club outweighs the immediate frustration of a missing trophy, arguing that consistency and further investment are the keys to eventually breaking the deadlock.

"My personal opinion is that I would never get rid of Mikel. I think the job he has done and the way he’s transformed the club, the players he’s brought in and how competitive the club is in the space of a few seasons is so impressive. I would take it as another learning curve and another season under his belt if Arsenal don’t win anything this season. It’s learning."

"People forget that this is his first managerial job as a number one and they expect so much. I get why fans are so expectant when the club has spent a lot of money and they expect to compete but this season Arsenal have."

"Worst case scenario, if Arsenal don’t win a trophy it will be so, so frustrating and disappointing but it will also be another ladder climbed in terms of progression and I will not change my mind. Give him more money in the summer to bring players in, let some players go, bring in fresh legs, ideas and blood and go again next season."

"I still believe we have a lot to play for but in the worst case scenario they shouldn’t change anything because getting rid of Mikel would be starting again from scratch and Arsenal are so close and competitive in every competition. Why jeopardize that and start again with someone who doesn’t have the DNA of the club and start changing everything. Arsenal are so close so I would be looking to bring in better players."

The missing spark of a player like Rayan Cherki

A common critique of the current Arsenal side is a lack of a match-winner who can create magic in the final third - a player like Rayan Cherki who scored a wonderful goal to open the scoring on Sunday. Aliadière pointed to his compatriot’s free role on the pitch as the catalyst behind his game-changing performance, praising both him and Guardiola’s decision to give him creative license.

"For me the most important thing with Cherki is that he’s free. He hasn’t been told to play in a certain way. He’s been allowed to play football the way he sees the game and I think that this is missing these days. I think players do have the flair and the ability to do such crazy things like Cherki but are very restricted by managers and the system that they play."

"He’s a breath of fresh air and I will say that Guardiola has a big part to play in this. He has just let Cherki be free and let him play. He hasn’t restricted him to certain rules or defensive jobs. He’s just got players around him to do the dirty work and after you see the results on the pitch."

Aliadière expanded further saying how modern football is devoid of magicians like Cherki and he would love to have a player like him lace up for the Gunners.

"His goal was fantastic. People may say he doesn’t offer much defensively and you might not see him for 20 minutes and then he reappears. Managers these days want consistency for 90 minutes but he’s a special talent and he's a crazy player who is capable of winning you a game in one minute and in one action he can change a game around. Would you rather have that or players that are structured and organised but never do anything out of the ordinary. On Sunday you saw what a special player he is and I would love to have him at Arsenal."

"Football these days is so different. Back in my time, you had more players like him who were free to express themselves. Football these days is very restrictive for players in a system where they can’t move. They’re stuck in their position and can’t go to the other side of the pitch or move too much out of the system and it’s sad to see because there’s so much more talent and raw talent like Cherki who can’t express themselves."

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