Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to break their New Year jinx in the Premier League title race.
Arsenal are four points clear of Manchester City at the halfway stage. They remain favourites to win their first league title in over 20 years.
However, Arsenal have failed to lift the trophy on the last five occasions they finished a calendar year top. The most recent was three seasons ago, when they ended up five points behind City.
Arteta admitted he was unaware of the statistic but was clear in his response.
“Let’s break it,” he said.
The Spaniard said his squad is desperate to win the league for the first time since 2004. Arsenal have finished runners-up three seasons in a row.
Confidence is high after Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa. City then dropped points with a 0-0 draw against Sunderland.
“It was very good,” Arteta said. “We played a top opponent and won in the way we wanted.”
