Arsenal fired ominous Premier League warning as Mikel Arteta faces more heartbreak

Arsenal have been warned that they will need Manchester City to decline if they are to have a chance of lifting their first Premier League title since 2004. Mikel Arteta’s side have narrowly missed out in the last two seasons, and Ally McCoist doesn’t believe they can do much more to get over the line.

Nine consecutive wins to end the 2023/24 campaign saw City clinch an unprecedented fourth successive title, finishing two points ahead of Arsenal.

The Gunners led the way for the majority of the previous season before a late collapse helped Pep Guardiola’s winning machine triumph by a four-point margin.

Arteta boasts a youthful side, and there is an expectation that they will continue on their upwards trajectory and eventually become English champions again.

But when asked what Arsenal can do to give them the edge over City next term, McCoist claimed that a natural goalscorer can only take the club so far.

“You could say they missed an out-and-out centre forward, and they probably did. But they scored 88 league goals,” McCoist told Express Sport on behalf of talkSPORT BET.

“I honestly don’t think they were really missing anything to win the league. I think it was more so they were up against a machine in Manchester City.”

McCoist has accused Arsenal of trying to score the perfect goal too often but held particular praise for Kai Havertz, who enjoyed an improved season in north London.

He added: “Could they do with an out-and-out centre-forward? Yes. Because in many ways, sometimes they try and score the perfect goal.

“At the game on Sunday [vs Everton], to be fair to Martinelli, in the second half, he was getting on it and whipping it across, and that’s the type of action an out-and-out centre forward would be looking for.

“I’ve got to combat that and say Kai Havertz had a fabulous season. He played the role exceptionally well.”

McCoist pinpointed Arsenal’s defeats home and away to Aston Villa and back-to-back losses to West Ham United and Fulham as the results that cost Arteta this time around.

But the former Rangers manager has warned Arsenal that even if they improve in 2024/25, they may also have to rely on City stepping off the gas, too.

“So, I don’t think it’s as much as what was missing for them that cost them the league,” McCoist continued.

“I just think they were up against one of the best sides the country has ever seen.

“To take the next step, Arsenal will, of course, have to improve, but at the same time, they’ll need to see a little decline in City.”