Arsenal face a crucial north London derby against Tottenham after dropping points to Wolves, as Mikel Arteta has been told his future hinges on Premier League title success
Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s and Neil Docking
09:45, 21 Feb 2026
Mikel Arteta knows if Arsenal fail to win the Premier League title this season he will be under huge pressure
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Mikel Arteta knows if Arsenal fail to win the Premier League title this season he will be under huge pressure
Arsenal face arguably their most crucial fixture of the campaign when they take on Tottenham in the north London derby with their Premier League advantage under threat.
The Gunners surrendered points for the second match running on Wednesday, following Wolves' stunning 94th-minute leveller in a 2-2 draw, which saw Mikel Arteta's team throw away a two-goal lead against the worst team in the division. The shocking setback has handed Manchester City the chance to narrow the gap to merely two points on Saturday evening when they host Newcastle United, before Arsenal play on Sunday afternoon.
Arteta has called on his squad to channel the "pain" from the Wolves stalemate to drive their Premier League title charge. He said: "We need to go through the pain and go through it looking in the mirror and understand what the game requires now and the next action is Sunday. We need to keep all that in our tummies to show it on Sunday." Here's all the latest news from the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta is under pressure to finally deliver a Premier League title at Arsenal
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Mikel Arteta is under pressure to finally deliver a Premier League title at Arsenal(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta exit prediction made
Alan Shearer has forecasted that Arteta could part ways with Arsenal if they fail to clinch the Premier League title this season, reports the Mirror.
Despite being frontrunners for the majority of the 2025/26 campaign, the Gunners have faltered on a few occasions recently, enabling City to narrow the gap at the summit.
Shearer is still backing Arsenal to finish first in May, though he concedes it won't be straightforward. Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast, he said: "They'll probably still win it, just. I never expected Arsenal to do it the easy way, I always knew there were going to be bumps and everything else, nervy times.
"People are going to be chucking questions and bombs and you have to get over that. I did expect this to happen. Let's see what they are made of.
"If he doesn't win the league he might not be at Arsenal. After the chances they have had to win it and finishing second, with what they have spent on the players they have got and the positions they are in, they have to win it."
As for the north London derby, Shearer feels this high-stakes clash comes at an opportune moment for Arsenal. He added: "I think if you need a game after what has happened then it is not a bad one to have in your local rivals.
"I know they have a new manager and it is away, but what a response it would be to go and win at Tottenham at the weekend."
Eberechi Eze's verdict
Eberechi Eze has had an inconsistent season at Arsenal so far
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Eberechi Eze has had an inconsistent season at Arsenal so far
Eberechi Eze confesses he harboured no anxiety about rejoining Arsenal in the summer following a reassuring chat with Arteta.
Speaking about his transfer in an interview with Men in Blazers, the 27-year-old revealed he was well acquainted with his new boss and was eager to operate under his guidance.
Eze remarked: "I spoke to him previously so I already knew the type of character he was and it was very cool. So I knew that's the type of conversation I could have."
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Lauding Arteta's personality, he continued: "He's an honest guy, he's straight, he says it how it is. If I'm honest, I wasn't too nervous."
Arsenal will be hoping Eze delivers his finest form for the championship push after netting merely four times and providing two assists across 21 Premier League outings since his comeback.