Jamie Carragher: Arsenal must manage their emotions for the title run-in | OneFootball

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League table after 14 games but the job is far from done for the Gunners with only a third of the campaign played.

Arsenal are back in action on Saturday when they face Aston Villa away from home, and manager Mikel Arteta and his men will be desperate to return to Emirates Stadium with all three points.

A win will be a huge boost as only six points separate the two teams, but a tough game awaits the Gunners at Villa Park.

Arsenal have to take it one game at a time having been left disappointed in recent seasons, and Jamie Carragher believes only one thing can stop them from winning the Premier League title this season.

“Would the Emirates be a scene of confidence and serenity if City are breathing down their neck in April?,” he asked in his Daily Telegraph column today.

“Arteta has been trying to preach the importance of an atmosphere inspiring rather than suffocating his players since he took over. He was at it again before the visit of Brentford in midweek.

“There was a feeling in the past couple of years that the Arsenal players, coaching staff and fanbase have a habit of using too much emotional energy too soon.

“Too often it feels like the title run-in starts from August, every setback received in the context that anything less than 90 points could be fatal to title hopes.

“When big wins have come, there have been ecstatic scenes involving senior players which have been more in common with sides sealing title-defining victories. All of them proved premature.”

Arsenal have finished each of the last three Premier League seasons in second place and will be desperate to go one better this term.

They have started the campaign well but frequent injuries to key players have threatened to derail their momentum.

The Gunners need to pick up all three points this weekend as failure to do so could get them fidgeting, especially if Man City win.

Arsenal have lost just once across all competitions this season and will be confident ahead of their trip on Saturday, but they need to know how to manage setbacks if they want to win the title this season.