“No one yet” - Sol Campbell claims Arsenal are still not title favourites; tells Gunners what they must do to win it

Arsenal legend Sol Campbell believes the Gunners are on the right path but insists they are not yet favourites to lift the Premier League title despite their impressive start to the season. Campbell urged his former side to maintain their current form and adopt a positive mentality to stand a chance of ending their trophy drought.

Mikel Arteta’s side are currently sitting atop the Premier League table, one point ahead of league holders Liverpool. Meanwhile, Arteta has also overseen Arsenal’s consecutive second-place finishes in each of the last three seasons.

When asked by journalist Ben Jacobs who he thinks are favourites for the title, Campbell said (via talkSPORT):

"No one yet, no one. Liverpool, obviously they've been champions, they're always going be in with a shout, and Arsenal are the chasers. They're in a good position at the moment, but they just have to...The proof's in the pudding, they have to keep going, keep going when it's January, February time, when it's wintry and raining, away, picking up points. So at the moment, it's so early but they've got great signs. Arsenal are looking good, but they've got to believe they can do it, that's the thing. "If you don't believe you can do it, something's going to come up, and then you're not going to get the points, you're not going to have that total belief. Everybody's got to believe they can do it and when they get that mental kind of herd mentality when everyone believes it... not stupidly, like far-fetched, but, 'We've got a great chance and we've got to believe.' "If you add too much doubt in it, it takes a little bit, one percent, and that one percent added up through the whole team, the whole squad, can actually take away that momentum. So they've got to truly believe they can do it, they've got a chance to do it."

Campbell was part of the Arsenal 'Invicible' side that last won the Premier League title in 2004.

“You have to manifest it” – Sol Campbell on how Arsenal can become a serial winner under Mikel Arteta

Arsenal have only won one major trophy (the FA Cup) since Mikel Arteta took over the reins in 2019. The team has undergone major overhauls and looks set to win their long-awaited Premier League title this season.

Amid their near misses in the EPL title race over the past three seasons, the Gunners have been criticized for their lack of winning mentality. When asked about how to create a serial winner mentality when the Arteta project at Arsenal has been built slowly, Campbell replied:

"I think slow is good sometimes. Some people are lucky, they inherit a really good side, [Arne] Slot inherited a fantastic side [at Liverpool] and then won the league. He didn't have to change much, he was lucky. A new manager, good bounce, players responded and yeah, he was lucky. Arteta had to get rid of some players and deadwood but the last couple of years, he's had pretty much the team. I think the centrepiece is a centre-forward, they've finally got someone [Viktor Gyokeres]... But they've got to find out how to play him. But you build it, you have to build it somehow.

He added:

"I went to Arsenal [in 2001], I've not won anything. Yeah they won before, but every year is different, you've got to believe that you can do it, and you've got to have the players around with the quality that can do it. You have to manifest it, you have to make it, that's how champions are made. You've got to manifest that, 'We can do it this year.' Not being ridiculous, not being so far-fetched, but you've got to start somewhere. Everybody starts with nothing, and then you've got to build and create something."

Arsenal will next be in action against Fulham after the international break.

Edited by Ezekiel Olamide