Arteta Rejects ‘Bottlers’ Label Amid Arsenal’s Title Challenge

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has dismissed suggestions that his team are “bottlers” ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur. The title race has intensified after Arsenal’s lead was cut following successive Premier League draws against Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Gunners have secured just two wins from their last seven league games, with second-placed Manchester City now five points adrift with a game in hand. Under Arteta, the North London club has finished as runners-up in their last three campaigns.

“It’s not part of my vocabulary and I don’t see it like this because I don’t think anybody wants to do that as an intention,” Arteta told reporters on Friday, when asked about the term being applied to their recent dip in form.

“That’s individual opinion, perspective. You have to respect that. That’s what I said after in the press conference. You lose two points against Wolves in the manner that the game played out, you have to take it on the chin. It’s part of our role. What I’m very interested in is the next one, what we are made of, what we love about this and how we write our own destiny from here.”

Arsenal have also reached the League Cup final and the last 16 of both the Champions League and the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, Tottenham, currently 16th in the Premier League, will go into Sunday’s game under newly appointed manager Igor Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank last week.