Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta warns Liverpool their Premier League form will be difficult to sustain and Gunners can bridge the gap

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has warned Liverpool that their lead at the top of the Premier League will be “extremely difficult” to sustain – and believes his side can make up the nine-point gap to the leaders.

The Gunners travel to West Ham, live on Sky Sports’ Saturday Night Football, knowing they could temporarily cut that deficit to six points, before Liverpool host reigning champions Manchester City on Super Sunday.

Should Arne Slot’s side win that game, the Reds would re-establish or extend their current lead over the Gunners – and also move 11 clear of Pep Guardiola’s side.

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Earlier this week, Slot urged caution over getting carried away about Liverpool’s lead, reminding everyone about how Arsenal themselves had an eight-point advantage at the top two seasons ago – but City fought back to claim the title.

Meanwhile, Arteta – having seen his Arsenal team lead the table and fail to win the title in the last two seasons – insists the Gunners are not out of the title fight at this stage.

“We’ve been there and to sustain it for 10 months is extremely difficult,” said Arteta. “Suddenly when you think you have it, one day it collapses.

“It can be a result, through injuries or other kinds of decisions. And it can happen in any moment. We have to be ready for that.

“But it’s something we can’t control. What we can control is be at our very best.”

Asked if Arsenal are capable of catching Liverpool this season, Arteta replied: “I really believe in my team, yes.”

‘This is a long run’

Ahead of this weekend’s games, Liverpool have reacted well to the departure of Jurgen Klopp and the installation of Slot as manager.

As well as winning all five of their Champions League games so far this season, they have picked up victories in 10 out of their 12 Premier League matches.

Along with Nottingham Forest, Arsenal are one of only two teams to deny Liverpool victory this season after their 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium in October – and Arteta believes his team will need to be perfect if the Reds keep up their current form.

“If they continue then that’s for sure, with the numbers they’re producing and the amount of games they’re winning,” added Arteta.

“The focus is on us to maintain the consistency especially and performances that will give us the right to win games, keep the availability in the squad. This is a long run.

“Winning lifts the energy and our confidence up. We’ve had two big wins for us and now it’s about consistency and getting that momentum, take it further against a good opponent [West Ham] and try to replicate the performance to win the game.”

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‘Man City have deserved to win every game they’ve lost’

Arteta also spoke about Man City’s title hopes – suggesting Guardiola’s side are not out of the fight because of their recent performances.

Reigning champions City are winless in their last six games – a run which involved five straight defeats before throwing away a three-goal lead against Feyenoord on Wednesday night.

Guardiola’s City also have a poor injury record, with key midfielder Rodri out for the season, with Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, John Stones, Oscar Bobb, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish all facing recent fitness issues.

“Even with those injuries, they deserved to win every game,” said Arteta about City. “If you look at their stats and everything they do, they have always been better than the opposition.

“This is football. You deserve and you don’t win it, but there’s a reason for that.”

Watch West Ham vs Arsenal on Saturday, plus Liverpool vs Man City on Super Sunday live on Sky Sports in a crucial weekend of title race football in the Premier League.