Arsenal: What Mikel Arteta must do to beat familiar November slump and keep Gunners' title hopes alive

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Evening Standard

·1 November 2025

Arsenal: What Mikel Arteta must do to beat familiar November slump and keep Gunners' title hopes alive

The Gunners are prone to an autumnal dip in form

In the days of Arsene Wenger, it was well known how November was Arsenal’s bogey month.

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It was officially the worst month of Wenger’s time in north London, with Arsenal winning just 40 of their 85 Premier League games in November during his reign.

The sense was that, around that time of the season, injuries would begin to pile up and the fixture list became congested.

Arsenal’s form suffered, and it was often the case that a nightmare November threatened to derail their campaign.

Mikel Arteta has managed to stop that slump - winning 15 of his 25 games in November - but it has still proven to be a sticky period.

In each of the last two seasons, Arsenal have been beaten just once in their opening 14 matches, only to then lose back-to-back games at the start of November.

Arteta will be determined to avoid that fate this time, and this is when Arsenal’s squad depth should truly show its worth.

Strength in numbers: Arsenal’s new squad depth could see them through a tricky period

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The Spaniard made 10 changes for the Carabao Cup win over Brighton on Wednesday, and he could make a similar number again at Turf Moor today.

Even with five first-team players out, Arsenal’s squad depth is arguably unrivalled, and now is the time to utilise it.

After Burnley, they travel to Slavia Prague on Tuesday before a trip to Sunderland four days later.

“When I was at Manchester City, you could pick two or three players per position,” said Arteta. “If you want to go to Chelsea or Liverpool, when they’re winning, they all have it.

“We don’t do anything special, and thank God we have it (squad depth) because we have five or six players out, big players out, and we are having to use other kinds of solutions as well, and the team remains competitive.

“So, it’s very necessary. I don’t think you get away at that level with anything else other than that.”

Arsenal head into November on a remarkable run of eight straight wins. They have kept six clean sheets in a row during that time and, if they reach eight, they will draw level with the club record set in 1903.

A victory over Burnley with another shutout would also see this Arsenal side match George Graham’s famous team, who hold the club record for the most successive wins without conceding in all competitions - seven between September and October 1987.

There are similarities between Graham’s side and this one, with Arsenal’s defence proving almost impossible to break down.

Arsenal have greater depth at the back than anywhere else on the pitch, and Wednesday’s clean sheet at Brighton came with a completely changed back-four and a new goalkeeper.

Mikel Arteta could break a record set by George Graham in 1987 should Arsenal keep a clean sheet against Burnley

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William Saliba could miss today’s game due to a knock, but if he does, Cristhian Mosquera should step up seamlessly.

“It (the defence) is going to give us a platform to win matches, that is formidable, because we have so much talent as well,” said Arteta.

“And our attacking threat from different ways is pretty good, so if we maintain that, the chances will increase.”

Arsenal are currently four points clear at the top of the Premier League, and Arteta will be keen for his side to keep their foot on the gas.

Their title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City face each other next week, while Tottenham host Chelsea this weekend. Bournemouth, currently second, travel to the Etihad tomorrow.

It means Arsenal can open up a lead at the top as those around them take points off each other.

Doing so would be the perfect way for Arsenal to show that the days of their nightmare Novembers are over, and underline that this squad has the depth to go all the way this season.