Mikel Arteta 'failure' warning fired as Arsenal handed timely Premier League reminder

Jermaine Pennant says it will be a failure for Mikel Arteta if Arsenal don't win any silverware this season.

The Spaniard has guided the north London club to a six-point lead over nearest challengers Manchester City, in what looks to be their best chance of ending their wait to return to the summit of English football.

Despite a defeat to reigning champions Liverpool in the opening games of the season, Arsenal have capitalised on the slump from their title rivals to move seven points clear of Arne Slot's side and create a gap to Pep Guardiola's serial winners.

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The Gunners still have a sizable chunk of the season to go and remain in pursuit of further success in each of the Carabao Cup, Champions League, and FA Cup.

But for the club and the head coach, they have finished runners-up in each of the last three seasons - losing out to Man City twice before failing to capitalise on their slump, which allowed the Dutch tactician, Slot, to pick up a top-flight honour in his debut season.

Pennant says that Arsenal are in the driving seat but concedes that the race is far from over. He exclusively told football.london, via NewBettingOffers.co.uk: "They’re 10 games in, there’s another 28 games to go, there’s only one team that’s done the invincible, no other team has done it because it isn’t easy.

"There will come a point where they may drop points. Maybe not lose, but pick up a draw at some tricky places, it’s all to play for. Yes, they are in the driving seat, they probably are the favourites at the moment but there’s some big games that they will have to play and conquer.

"I wouldn’t say there will be a blip but I can’t see Arsenal going 38 games without dropping points, it’s up to the rest to capitalise when they do. All it takes is one dodgy result, one dodgy result, after Christmas and January when it starts to really matter, if you drop points, all of a sudden there could be three in it.

"For example, Man City are only six points behind, if Arsenal were to drop points, and they will, if they were to lose that one game and Man City win, it’s only three points then it’s all to play for. They have to play each other again, they have to go to the Etihad. There’s so much to play for. There will come to a point where Arsenal drop points, it’s about if the teams are there to catch that."

Arteta's managerial career so far has been judged on silverware with the Gunners and during his tenure, he has won the Community Shield and the FA Cup.

However, it would have been close to six years since their triumph in the FA's flagship competition by the time this season ends in May.

And the 42-year-old believes this season could be deemed a failure if they don't make it across the line, he added: “If he doesn’t win silverware this year then yeah, you would say it’s been a failure.

"You can’t take away how good they have become. They are a fantastic team but you don’t become that after 10 games, you’re judged after 38 and in May, what have you won?

"It’s all good having the praise now but come the end of the season, what is in that cabinet? If there’s no silverware, the Arsenal fans, people may think it is a failure.”