Arsenal beat Man Utd and Zubimendi joins – How Mikel Arteta can turn season around

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will spend the international break pondering how his side can overturn their underwhelming start to the Premier League season. The Gunners find themselves nine points behind leaders Liverpool and without a league win since October 5.

It is not yet a crisis but further bad results in the lead up to Christmas could leave Arsenal out of the title race before the New Year. Arteta needs to make a couple of changes and a whole lot of luck to start going the north Londoners’ way before they can seriously challenge.

Arsenal have suffered defeats against Bournemouth and Newcastle already this season. Draws with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Brighton have prevented them from making ground on the Reds.

Express Sport looks at how Arsenal can regroup.

Beat Manchester United

Arsenal are yet to beat any of their so-called Big Six rivals this year. There have been draws with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea – all matches in which they have led before conceding relatively late on.

This time last year, Arsenal had already beaten Man Utd and City. They had also been unlucky to only draw with Tottenham and Chelsea.

Arsenal need a big win against one of their top rivals to restore some confidence. A Premier League clash with United, who will be in the early stages of learning Ruben Amorim’s methods, presents the perfect opportunity on December 4.

Sign Martin Zubimendi

Arsenal have improved in nearly over position on the pitch over the past few years. However, they remain absent of a genuinely elite defensive midfielder.

Declan Rice has developed into more of a number eight, with his strengths best deployed in a more all-action role. Thomas Partey has generally performed well but Arsenal can do better than the Ghanaian.

It is why the Gunners must beat Liverpool to the signing of Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi. The Spaniard snubbed the Reds in the summer and could be the missing piece in the jigsaw for Arteta. A midfield of Rice, Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard would be worthy of winning the league.

Improve discipline and avoid injuries

Arsenal have largely been the architects of their own downfall so far. William Saliba was sent off in the 2-0 defeat by Bournemouth, while Leandro Trossard gave his team-mates a hell of a job holding onto a 2-1 lead against City when he was dismissed for booting the ball away when on a yellow card.

Arteta really needs his players to improve their discipline. And when they stay on the pitch, the Spaniard will be hoping they stay fit. Arsenal also need a bit of luck with injuries.

Every team has struggled with fitness issues due to the ever-expanding football calendar but the problem seems to have hit Arsenal particularly hard. With the likes of Odegaard returning soon, the Gunners should be able to kick on.