Mikel Arteta told 'crucial' mistake Arsenal cannot repeat in Man City and Liverpool battle

Arsenal are aiming to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004 and are well-placed to do so after a strong start to the season under Mikel Arteta

Gilberto Silva, a member of Arsenal's legendary Invincibles squad, believes the Gunners must not drop points against lower-ranked teams if they are to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title.

The Brazilian, who was part of the team that lifted the trophy two decades ago, feels that Mikel Arteta's side have been edging closer to the top spot in recent seasons, falling short by just a few points.

With Pep Guardiola's City aiming for their fifth consecutive title, and Liverpool also showing strong form, Silva insists there is no margin for error. Speaking to MyBettingSites, he said: "I think that the team today is very mature, structured. When we look at the Arsenal team, the players, the team, the formation, the balance between the sectors is very well defined."

"It is important to go far," he added: "The signings that have been coming in have been important, with results, this also makes the whole job easier. It's not just about hiring, you need to hire athletes who come in and wear the shirt and deliver results for a team like Arsenal.

"It won't be easy, again. It is important to learn from past mistakes. In the last two seasons, they made crucial mistakes against smaller and mid-table teams, especially at home. They have to do this homework very well this season."

Arsenal's Emirates Stadium record was nearly impeccable last term in the Premier League, yet they suffered 2-0 defeats to West Ham and Aston Villa, and were held to 2-2 draws by Fulham and Tottenham. The Gunners have already let points slip this season with a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton – these are the kind of results that could prove pivotal when May arrives.

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Despite an unbeaten run through seven matches, Arsenal find themselves in third place, trailing league leaders Liverpool by just one point. Former Brazil star Silva reckons Arsenal might not get a better shot at the title than this year, drawing on the lessons learned over the previous two seasons.

“They have all the conditions,” he said. “They have been fighting with them for two years, right? In a way, they have gotten ahead of Liverpool in this dispute. Last year it was very close and perhaps even within the planning they had been doing since Arteta arrived. They managed to get ahead of the project, with the work and dedication of everyone.

“And I believe that now this year, in my view, they need to [achieve something]. I think that perhaps even as a statement of work on the part of the club itself, I see it as a year of achievement. The time has come, right?”

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