<figure id="attachment_3240181" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3240181" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3240181" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/c28425c4-mikel-arteta-21122025.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3240181" class="wp-caption-text">Arsenal&#8217;s manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the match against Everton FC. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
LIVERPOOL: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said his side have to learn to kill games off while they are winning after reclaiming top spot in the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Everton.
Viktor Gyokeres scored the only goal from the penalty spot to register his first goal since Nov 1 as the Gunners moved two points clear of Manchester City.
But after needing a stoppage-time own goal to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves last weekend, Arteta was again made to sweat for the 96 minutes on Merseyside against a depleted Everton.
The Toffees rarely threatened but had strong appeals for a penalty themselves turned down in the second half when William Saliba caught Thierno Barry.
&#8220;The margin should have been bigger,&#8221; said Arteta. &#8220;We have to learn while we are winning.&#8221;
It is the third time in four years that Arteta&#8217;s men will top the table on Christmas Day.
However, on the previous two occasions they were reeled in by a rampant City.
Pep Guardiola&#8217;s men have won seven consecutive games in all competitions to whittle down what was a seven-point gap at the top.
Arteta, though, praised the consistency of his players to continue pushing for a first league title in 22 years.
&#8220;It gives me belief and confidence in the performances and consistency of the team,&#8221; Arteta told AFP. &#8220;That is very difficult to do in this league and that means the team is constantly there.&#8221;
Everton missed the goalscoring threat of the injured Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye, who has departed for the Africa Cup of Nations.
David Moyes again bemoaned his lack of a striker as they failed to score despite a spirited display.
&#8220;You can play a well as you like and do good things but we need to get some goals,&#8221; said Moyes.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve not had goals in the last two games, which is the bit that&#8217;s been missing really.&#8221;
&#8220;We done a lot of things, the players effort, the spirit. Everything you&#8217;d want them to do they did tonight. It was just a bit of quality or trying to hurt Arsenal a bit more.&#8221;

MatchPoint Times

Arteta tells leaders Arsenal to ‘learn’ while winning

The Arsenal manager said the winning margin should have been larger and emphasised the need to keep learning despite victories.

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