The manager of Arsenal football club, Mikel Arteta, has stressed that though Tottenham Hotspur are currently doing everything right, it is still early to call them title contenders.
The manager who stated this in a press conference organized on Friday ahead of a Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur scheduled for Sunday at 17:30, noted that what matters to him is the position Arsenal would end the season at after week 38 of the league.
As at the time of publishing this report, Tottenham Hotspur were still topping the Premier League table with 21 points in 10 league games. Coach Jose Mourinho and his boys have won 6 league games, recorded 3 draws, and a defeat.
Tottenham are closely followed by the reigning Premier League champions, Liverpool football club that are currently occupying the second spot on the league table with the same 21 points as Tottenham but with inferior goals difference.
As for Arsenal, it has not been easy for the London club as Mikel Arteta and his boys have recorded 4 wins, a draw, and 5 defeats in 10 league games. They have been able to garner just 13 points and are currently occupying the 14th spot on the league table.
A defeat in the hands of Tottenham on Sunday will further drag Arsenal far away from the top of the league table as they are currently 5 points away from 4th placed Leicester City.
“I think it’s very early in the season to see who is title contenders or not,” Arteta said. “But what you can say is what I said before is that they (Spurs) are in the position they are because they are doing things the right way.
“What we have to look at is where we will be after 38 games in the league. Now what is going to happen after Sunday, we want to be close and finish three points closer to them.”
Just like Arsenal had the opportunity to host fans in the Emirate Stadium on Thursday when they played against Rapid Wein in the Europa League match that ended 4-1 in favor of Arsenal, Tottenham will host Arsenal in the North London derby at the Tottenham Stadium on Sunday.
We have produced an online guide to safely attending reduced capacity matches at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 4, 2020
We can’t wait to welcome our fans back home! 💙#THFC ⚪️ #COYS
Meanwhile, the coach of Chelsea football club, Frank Lampard is already thinking of extending his contract with the London club. He signed a three-year deal with the club in the summer of 2019 and has already reached the halfway mark of the deal.
The 42-year-old former player of the club managed to lead the club to a top-four finish last season; he has qualified the team for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 this season, and Chelsea is currently occupying the 3rd spot on the league table.
“In terms of my contract, it seems to have flown by, the time I’ve been here,” said Lampard.
“It’s right I’ve got 18 months left and I felt it when I came to the club, I knew there were a lot of circumstances at the beginning that were going to make last year transitional and maybe slightly difficult.
“I felt like I took the job in a different position to most recent Chelsea managers. I think people sympathize with that as well and I think it was a success.
“Now I feel like I would love to be part of the long-term plan here.
“The signings we made in the summer, other than probably Thiago Silva particularly, were signings for now and the future. Players that are going to progress and who will mature, and, of course, I would love to be part of that.”
Chelsea’s next league match is against Leeds United at Stamford Bridge tonight. It will be the club’s first home match this season as they are set to host a maximum of 2000 fans in line with the directives of the government.
