Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has conceded that his Gunners side are not the "strongest" in the Premier League title race as they aim to snap three years of silver-medal misery.
The North London titans can return to the top of the Premier League table by beating Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime, as they boast a superior goal difference to current leaders and champions Liverpool.
The Reds are not back in action until Sunday - taking on newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor - while Chelsea, who are one point better off in second place, meet Brentford at 8pm on Saturday evening.
Despite posting the highest net spend of any Premier League club in the summer transfer window and spending a record amount of just over £250m, Arsenal were powerless to break down Arne Slot's side at Anfield two Sundays ago.
The Gunners succumbed to an astonishing Dominik Szoboszlai free kick in a 1-0 loss to the Merseysiders, who have since added £125m man Alexander Isak to their ranks following a protracted summer transfer saga.
Arteta admits Liverpool are favourites in Premier League title race
Sweden's Alexander Isak on September 5, 2025
The Swede has become the Premier League's record signing and Liverpool's all-time most expensive buy, stealing the latter title from Florian Wirtz just a couple of months after the German signed from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £116m.
Add in the captures of Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, Arteta has conceded that Slot's side are the favourites to retain their title, and the Spaniard also labelled Wirtz and Isak the two most "decisive" players on the European landscape.
Asked in his Friday press conference if Isak's move to Liverpool could have a huge impact on the Premier League title fight, Arteta replied: "Well, they [Liverpool] are the strongest for sure.
"They have recruited probably the two most decisive players that were in Europe on the market, and they've done really well to recruit them.
"They were very strong. I think we need to look at ourselves and what we have to do in terms of our abilities to be better than them."
Could Arsenal have made a move for Isak?
Newcastle United's Alexander Isak pictured on April 25, 2025
It is no secret that Arsenal were running the rule over Isak for some time, but Newcastle United's nine-figure asking price proved too steep for the Gunners, who could not fathom forking out £150m on one player.
Funds would not have been an issue for the three-time Premier League winners if their £250m outlay is anything to go by, but Arteta and Andrea Berta had several priorities to address in the market alongside the need for a new striker.
Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Cristhian Mosquera all plug gaps that needed to be filled, although some Gooners may argue that Arsenal could have signed Isak with the money they spent on Viktor Gyokeres and Madueke.
However, Arteta wanted his new number nine in place from the start of the season, and Arsenal were not prepared to be dragged into a long-running transfer soap opera, hence their decision to quickly pivot for Gyokeres.
Liverpool's earlier capture of Ekitike meant that they could play the long game with Isak, who would likely have been Arteta's dream signing, but Arsenal ultimately made the sensible decision.
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