"It is more difficult" - Mikel Arteta responds to Gary Neville's concerns about Arsenal trio

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has responded to Gary Neville's claims that the Gunners can win the Premier League but only if they can keep their key players fit.

The north London side pushed Manchester City for the Premier League title last season as they led the table for 248 days. However, a run of three wins in nine games saw Arsenal finish five points behind City.

The poor run came after defender William Saliba's injury in the UEFA Europa League against Sporting CP. Neville believes the Gunners need to keep Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Declan Rice fit if they are to win the title this season.

In a pre-match press conference ahead of their clash at Chelsea, Arteta shared his thoughts on Neville's comments, stating (via Metro):

"Obviously, when you lose big players, it is more difficult. From last year, we know that. In crucial moments, we lost some big players, and things get harder because the squad is thinner."

"Hopefully we have learned [from it]. We have improved the squad and we now have more resources to manage these things."

Arsenal have already had to deal with a few injuries this season, with the likes of Thomas Partey and Bukayo Saka missing games. They have, however, coped well as they are unbeaten in the Premier League and in second place, behind Tottenham Hotspur on goals scored.

---

Mikel Arteta offers his thoughts on Arsenal's upcoming clash against Chelsea

The Gunners will travel to Stamford Bridge to face London rivals Chelsea on Saturday, October 21. Arsenal are unbeaten and second in the league while the Blues are 11th with just three wins in eight games.

Chelsea appear to have done well under Mauricio Pochettino in terms of performances but their finishing has let them down. Referencing their performances, Mikel Arteta previewed the London derby on Saturday, saying (via Arsenal.com):

"It’s a big game and we know that there is a big history between the two clubs and the type of games we have played against them. It’s a very different one I think."

He also said:

"This season, I’ve been really impressed by Chelsea, they deserve much more than what they’ve got on the table. I think what Mauricio has done in such a short time is phenomenal and we’re going to have to be at our best tomorrow."

The Blues have lost three games in a row against the north London side at Stamford Bridge. They have also lost six of their nine clashes since Arteta's appointment as Gunners manager in 2019.