- Mikel Arteta has scored a record number of points he believes Arsenal will need
- The Gunners were defeated in the Premier League title on the final day of the 2023-24 season
- Arsenal take on Manchester United in their second pre-season friendly
Mikel Arteta said he needs to raise the bar even higher and bring ‘something’ to Arsenal that he has not yet shown to win the Premier League title.
Manchester City beat the Gunners on the final matchday in May to win the title, and Arteta will do everything he can to prevent that from happening again this season.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United in Los Angeles at the SoFi Stadium on Sunday (01:00 BST), Arteta said: “I think the message is clear: we need more from everyone. More from everyone, including me.
‘I have to raise the standards, I have to bring something that I haven’t brought yet. Individually and collectively the same.
‘The more we do that, the more chance we have of winning the Premier League, which is basically what we want.
Mikel Arteta has set his team a target of 114 points – an impeccable record – to beat Man City
He demanded ‘more from everyone’ to give the club its first title since the 2003-04 season
“Just work every day with that excitement and understanding of the difficulty. And when those difficulties come, stick together and get through them efficiently.”
On what it would take to overtake Man City this time around, he said: ‘114 points. If we do that, we will definitely win the league.
‘This is the goal, from there we’ll see what we get. Earn the right to win and have the biggest chance on the opponent.
‘When we are struggling, we are still better than our opponents. That is really the goal.’
Before Arteta and LA Rams head coach Sean McVay addressed the press, they participated in a community event with children.
The two are friends and have previously discussed coaching methodology and tactics.
“I know Sean very well,” he said.
‘We’ve met a few times and we have the same ownership. That connects everyone – not only in terms of coaches, but also in terms of organization.
Pep Guardiola has won six Premier League titles in eight seasons at the Etihad Stadium
Arsenal take on Man United in their second pre-season friendly in Los Angeles on Sunday.
“There’s a lot of things we can get from each other. It’s great to get things from each other. It’s not common, and it’s something we can get from each other in this organization.”
Speaking about playing at SoFi Stadium on Sunday morning, Arteta added: “It’s an opportunity to connect with our supporters. If they’re Arsenal supporters, great, if they’re football supporters, let’s try to get them to become Arsenal supporters.
“That means we created a certain joy and excitement in them in the way we played the game. That’s one of the goals, but the most important thing is to win the game, that’s for sure.
“It’s great to be here and see all the supporters we have. We know it’s difficult with the time difference, so to give something back is nice for us.”
