Arsenal have challenged Manchester City in the Premier League title race in back-to-back seasons, but have fallen just short both times.
Their first challenge to Man City’s throne saw them lead the way but collapse at the end of the campaign, but this season was different.
Arsenal won 16 of their last 18 Premier League games, but it was not enough to topple Pep Guardiola, who has now won a record four titles in a row.
Mikel Arteta’s side are well set to challenge again though. Arsenal have a top-quality young squad, with the best players all tied down to long-term contracts.
With Jurgen Klopp departing Liverpool, it may be on Arteta to stop his former mentor winning five consecutive titles, and Gary Lineker has now backed the Gunners to maintain a serious challenge for the league again.
Gary Lineker claims Arsenal will challenge for Premier League title
Speaking on The Rest Is Football Podcast, Lineker praised Arteta for the job he has done at Arsenal, and labelled his side as serious title contenders.
“Yeah, I think they might (win the Premier League title next season). Depends on who they bring in. I think Arteta has done a brilliant job,” he stated.
“You can see gradual improvement season in season out. Young team, they buy into what he believes in, and they are improving. They are definitely on the right track, and I think they will go very close again next season.”
Arsenal’s gradual improvement under Mikel Arteta
Arteta inherited a mess on and off the pitch when he rejoined his former club as manager in 2019. But Arteta and Edu Gaspar took some time to rebuild the squad into one which can challenge at the top level.
There was a season of pain, as Arsenal finished eighth in Arteta’s first full campaign as a manager. This was the second eighth-place finish in a row, but the Spaniard did win the FA Cup in his first year.
Arsenal then gutted the squad, with big-name stars such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shown the exit door, and a fresh, younger calibre of player was targeted, with Ben White and Martin Odegaard among Arteta’s best signings.
READ MORE: All Mikel Arteta signings at Arsenal ranked from worst to best
A fifth-place finish followed, but fans could see the improvement in the team despite missing out on a top-four spot.
Arsenal then challenged for the title after recruiting experienced winners in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and improved again this season as Declan Rice and Kai Havertz helped raise the level to go toe to toe with Man City.