Arsenal's Reminder Bells from Christmas Day

Instead of a gift, the top position in the English Premier League standings on Christmas is more synonymous with a curse for Arsenal. "The Gunners" have often found themselves at the top when the holiday arrives, yet they always fail to secure the championship at the end of the season. A similar fear haunts them once again this season.

This Christmas feels particularly special for the team managed by Mikel Arteta. They have had an almost perfect first half of the season. Arsenal is currently at the top of the English Premier League standings and the Champions League group stage, and they have just advanced to the semifinals of the English League Cup.

"We are extraordinary to be in this position," said Arteta, who was reluctant to elaborate when asked about the team's performance and championship mentality in the first half of the season, Friday (26/12/2025). "Merry Christmas to everyone. Thank you very much," concluded the Spanish manager.

From Arteta's perspective, it is indeed not easy to assess the current direction of Arsenal, especially when focusing on the domestic league. Martin Odegaard and his teammates still hold a two-point lead over their closest competitor, Manchester City, but have begun to lose momentum in the past month.

Last month, after the derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal was still seven points ahead of City. Three matches without a win from their last four away games disrupted their positive trend. At the same time, City was on an unstoppable run with five consecutive victories.

It would be better if we could score more goals. With that, we could have more control over the game. Leading by one goal makes the situation more tense at the end of the match.

The Christmas curse seems to be closing in on Arsenal. Throughout the history of the Premier League, Arsenal has topped the standings at Christmas four times. However, they have never won the championship even once. Two of these instances occurred during Arteta's tenure, in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

Interestingly, in those two seasons, Arsenal finished in second place and lost to City. The curse has the potential to repeat itself, especially if Arsenal is unable to break the trend of the last month. They must quickly bounce back when hosting Brighton and Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium, London, on Saturday at 22:00.

Arsenal's main problem at present is reflected in their last three matches across all competitions. They managed to score four goals in those three matches, but all were somewhat fortunate. Three goals came from opponents' own goals, and one goal was from a penalty kick.

Fortunately, Arsenal was still able to win those three matches by a very narrow margin. "It would be better if we could score more goals. With that, we could control the game better. Leading by one goal makes the situation more tense at the end of the match," explained Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres.

Arsenal is certainly not lacking in strikers. Their new forward, Gyokeres, has started twice in those three matches. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus has also returned from injury and immediately rejoined the starting lineup in the League Cup match against Crystal Palace.

Although lacking goals, it is not a sharp striker that Arsenal misses. They are greatly missing the figure of the tough center-back Gabriel Magalhaes. The Brazilian player is the main target for "The Gunners" in set-piece executions. As is known, they heavily rely on set pieces.

Gabriel suffered a thigh muscle injury during the international break last month. Prior to that, Arsenal had scored 10 goals from set pieces in the league, excluding penalties. A month later, their total number of set piece goals remains the same. This data illustrates the significant role Gabriel plays.

Gabriel has indeed only contributed one goal and two assists in the league. However, his role is not limited to being the primary executor in the penalty area. His presence is often used as bait to deceive the opponent's defensive system. He can draw attention in the opponent's penalty area.

Arsenal's dependence on set pieces is still very evident. The difference is that there is no figure who can make a difference. Just look at three of their last four goals. Each goal against Everton, Palace, and Wolves originated from corner kicks that were not anticipated by the opposing players.

It is hoped that the problem can be resolved soon. Gabriel is very close to returning to the field, although it is still likely to be against Brighton. "We still have to wait and see. He has not trained yet, he is still undergoing rehabilitation. Hopefully, he can be available as soon as possible," said Arteta.

In addition to Gabriel, the boost also comes from the return of star striker Kai Havertz. After being sidelined due to injury for nearly the first half of the season, Havertz has been training with his teammates over the past week. Furthermore, Havertz was Arsenal's top scorer across all competitions last season (15 goals).

Through Havertz's presence, Arsenal can hope to score more goals from open play. "Let's see the next step in how he responds. He is a player we have missed greatly, a player who brings the team to a different dimension," said Arteta.

Ultimately, execution in the opponent's penalty box will be the most crucial factor for Arsenal in the title race. Their defense, which has recorded the fewest goals conceded in the Premier League and the Champions League, is beyond doubt. (AP/REUTERS)