Thierry Henry - Arsenal
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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has warned his former club and manager Mikel Arteta not to settle for a draw when they face Manchester City in Sunday’s Premier League showdown at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners have started the 2025/26 campaign strongly, winning three of their opening four league fixtures, with their only defeat coming in a narrow 1-0 loss at Liverpool on August 31. Arteta’s men also began their Champions League campaign in style with a 2-0 victory away to Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday night.
However, Henry insists Arsenal’s ambitions must go beyond simply avoiding defeat against their title rivals, stressing that the current squad is strong enough to compete with the very best in Europe.
“Right now, I will say that nobody has a team as deep as Arsenal in terms of quality,” Henry said during CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage. “When you look at the bench tonight and you’re still missing players like [Martin] Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus… the squad is well-equipped to play in all competitions.
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“But now, let’s be honest, this year it’s a must to win something. You can’t hide. At some point, you’ve got to validate what you are doing. Finishing second never gave you a trophy. With this squad, no more excuses, you have everything you need to perform.”
Arsenal
Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 last weekend (Photo credit : Getty Images)
Henry believes Arsenal’s title hopes depend on adopting a winning mentality in big games. Reflecting on past disappointments, he criticised moments when Arteta appeared too cautious.
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“If you want to beat Liverpool or Man City, you’ve got to go and get it. You cannot enter a game with, ‘let’s not lose it,’” he argued. “In my time, if you wanted to win the league, you had to go and beat Manchester United. You couldn’t just settle for a draw.”
When asked if Arsenal’s approach in their defeat at Liverpool reflected that mindset, Henry pointed to other examples, including the 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in 2024. “Arteta took a striker out and put in a holding midfielder. He thought about not losing, but we ended up losing. If we had won, we’d have been ahead of City. Those moments matter,” Henry recalled.
Despite his criticism, Henry reaffirmed his belief in Arteta’s project and the team’s potential, but he made clear that expectations have risen.
“As a fan, I will always support the team. But as a player, I’d be aiming for the title. You can rotate, you can manage injuries, but this year Arsenal must win something. No more excuses,” he said.
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