Arsenal are in discussion with Mikel Arteta over extending his contract at the Emirates Stadium, but the Gunners hierarchy may come up against fan opposition if they do not end up winning a trophy this season.
That is the view of CBS Sports' football correspondent and Arsenal fan James Benge, who joined GIVEMESPORT's Market Madness podcast this week to discuss the title race.
Arsenal make the trip north to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in what is a potentially season-defining match-up.
City trail the Gunners by six points at the top of the table, with a game in hand, meaning if they win the showdown between the title rivals and their game in hand against Burnley next week, there will be a new team at the summit.
Are Arsenal Really 'Bottling' The Premier League Title?
Arsenal fans
Arsenal have led the way since gameweek seven and have been favourites to lift the Premier League crown for the first time since 2004 for a number of weeks now.
But after defeat to Bournemouth at home last weekend came after losing out in the Carabao Cup final to City and being knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship Southampton, a lot of the noise around the Gunners has been about them potentially slipping up and 'bottling' the title.
Victory or even a draw against City leaves them in the box seat for the title, but a win for City would turn the tables and give Pep Guardiola's side the impetus heading into the final weeks of the season.
Arteta has done an incredible job since being named the Arsenal boss in 2019, turning them into genuine title contenders on a regular basis. But there are already murmurings of discontent around the red half of north London and missing out on silverware this year, when the quadruple was talked about late into the season, could turn supporters against him.
Arsenal Contract Talks With Mikel Arteta Are Complicated
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during Mansfield Town v Arsenal
Benge said: "It's a complicated one. They have had those conversations [about extending his contract], and the expectation is they would resume in the summer, but you have to factor in the sort of fan mood and the fan noise. And I don't really know what it would be if Arsenal don't win another trophy, but my suspicion is it would sort of harden against the idea of giving him an extension.
"He is currently one of the best paid managers in the world, and he would find it, I think, challenging to convince supporters. I don't really know how the ownership would manage that situation.
"They would like him to stay, and I don't think Mikel Arteta would walk either if this season went off the rails. But I do think you'd have to be very cognizant of what the atmosphere in the fanbase would be.
"So I hate that that's a non-answer, but it's a bit of a non-answer, and it does really emphasise just how high the stakes are for Arsenal right now."
MixCollage-09-Mar-2025-06-18-PM-5583 Related
Fabrizio Romano Shares Mikel Arteta Sack Update Out of Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has been linked with the managerial exit at Arsenal but Fabrizio Romano has issued a positive update on his future