Arsenal

A bright and breezy news conference from Mikel Arteta, who exuded the air of a Premier League manager sitting on a six-point cushion at the top of the table.

Here's a recap of what he had to say, before Thursday's game at home to Liverpool:

• Defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera are both out of the Liverpool game but are going through their last stage of rehab and should be available for selection soon
• Meanwhile, they are "monitoring the load" on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward steps up his training as he continues his recovery from a long-term injury
• On playing defending champions Liverpool after losing at Anfield earlier in the season, Arteta said his side has a "point to prove" and "knows what to do to beat them"
• The Spaniard later added that they had a point to prove every week that they can "go again and again and again"
• Arteta said his opinion of Liverpool had not changed - that they remain a "superb" side - despite the fact Arsenal go into the game with a 14-point lead over the defending champions
• On United's sacking of Ruben Amorim, the Gunners boss said that it was always sad to see, but added "you need to win a lot of football matches if you want to stay in the job".

Until next time.

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One final recap post to come but before that - will Arsenal win the Premier League?

Hit the thumbs.

Callum in London:RE Rob at 14:19 - behave, Moises Caicedo doesn't even get into this Arsenal team. Tasty backup for Declan Rice though.

Laura Kirk-Francis
Arsenal fan writer

With Arsenal trailing 1-0 inside the opening 11 minutes at Vitality Stadium on Saturday, the ghosts of previous seasons threatened to appear.

However, Mikel Arteta's side emerged with three points thanks - in part - to a multifaceted trio of leaders, each possessing a distinct personality and delivering a vital contribution.

Gabriel Magalhaes, returning from a groin injury, has arguably been our most influential player this season. He is a swashbuckling giant in both boxes, but his errant pass gifted Bournemouth the opener.

His response was immediate and within minutes Arsenal were level. While 'Mr Reliable' felt ironic in that moment, 'Mr Accountable' is perhaps more fitting.

Then there is Declan Rice, the vocal and visible driver of this team. He demands the ball and consistently backs himself to be the difference-maker. His double on Saturday was the ultimate display of leading by doing.

Completing the trio is Arsenal's official captain, Martin Odegaard. If Gabriel provides the power and Rice the engine, Odegaard exudes a quieter brand of authority.

Back to his sublime best, the Norwegian has now provided two assists and a goal in his past three appearances. He is the ultimate puppet master.

With Arsenal now six points clear at top of the table, the pressure will continue to increase. To cross the finish line, they will need to call upon this unique combination of power, performance and creativity once again.

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Dominik Szoboszlai's brilliant late free-kick saw Liverpool defeat Arsenal 1-0 at Anfield in August.

The Gunners have only lost two league games this season and will be keen to put that one right.

That Szoboszlai goal remains one of the best this campaign.

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Arsenal haven't kept a clean sheet in the Premier League against Liverpool since August 2015, when the Gunners held unbeaten Liverpool to a goalless draw.

This season, only Man City, Nottingham Forest and Leeds have managed to keep Liverpool out.

In his news conference this morning, Arne Slot failed to select which of his opponents' many strengths was most important, and noted how Arsenal "hardly concede goals".

Can Arsenal do the same, and put an end to a run of conceding in 20 successive league games against Liverpool?

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Well, Mikel Arteta's side have only opened up a six-point buffer at the top of the table so far, so the title race could very well go down to the wire.

There is good news for Arsenal fans though because their final five fixtures, which follow a tricky away trip to Manchester City, look positive.

Here's a look at their final five fixtures:

• Newcastle United (H)
• Fulham (H)
• West Ham United (A)
• Burnley (H)
• Crystal Palace (A)

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on how he keeps people focussed on their goal: "We all want it that much, that's what is driving everybody. The superb quality that we have in the club - staff and players especially - because we know what it's going to take to achieve what we want."

On whether having birth dates near each other has contributed to the on-pitch connection between Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Martin Zubamendi: "So they started to connect since their birth, yes? Let me investigate about that and I'll come back to you in a few weeks! It's a great point, maybe it's something that we have to think about. It's very clear that they click, they understand each other very well, they complement each other exceptionally well. And that's something that we believed that we could achieve before we brought them together and now they have done it."

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on the impact of a huge home crowd: "There is nothing like it. You become a different player. Your emotional status is better, your level is better, your confidence is better. They encourage you to perform actions with aggression, with a lot of determination, and it lifts the whole team."

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Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on what point he has to prove: "We can go again and again. Every week we have a point to prove. We had it a few days ago against Bournemouth, after a great win against Villa and it's going go to continue like that until May. And we know that because once we are in the position we are in, we want to maintain and extend the lead that we have. In order to do that, our level of determination and desire has to be our mindset."

Rob in Huddersfield:RE David at 13:54 - Arsenal beat Aston Villa by more than one goal, didn't they? The one-goal wins came when not playing well. That's the sign of champions.

Ruban in London: RE David at 13:54 - do you know that Arsenal have the same goal difference as Man City but six more points? I'm not sure your 'one-goal wins' theory stacks up.

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on whether he expected Liverpool to be their main title rivals before the season: "I still think they're a superb team. You have to understand as well the context that they have with certain injuries and the difficulty of the league for all of us, but my opinion hasn't changed about them."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Thursday's game: "We want to win every game. The most important one is tomorrow's. We know what we have to do to beat them. Now we have to prove it on the pitch."

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on whether this is the best Arsenal team he has managed: "I don't like comparing. Every week the team is different because the players available are different, the position is different. Maintain all the great things that the team are doing - consistency is going to be the key to that. We know the difficulty of every game and we are approaching that with a lot of excitement and understanding of where we are."