Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted the Gunners are not getting carried away with talk of the Premier League title.

Saturday’s 4-2 win over Brighton, coupled with Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Everton, saw Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points to see in 2023. No side with such a lead midway through the season has ever failed to win the title.

The signs are clearly positive for Arteta and his young side, but the boss was adamant that Arsenal are not thinking about getting their hands on the famous trophy just yet.

„We knew the result [of the Manchester City game], but the boost is we have to come here and win, and to do that we have to perform at the highest level in this league,“ Arteta told BBC Sport.

„Tonight we had to have a big performance to win against a really good Brighton side. We had to dig in as well.

„[We have] a lot of things to improve, especially in defending moments. We still have room to improve.“

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In his post-match press conference, Arteta took the same stance.

„It’s still a long run to go,“ he continued. „My excitement comes from going into the dressing room when the players are talking about what they should have done better today. That means that they know that we can still player better and be better and against Newcastle we have to be better.“

The Gunners are in for a tough run of fixtures to start 2023. They must face Newcastle, Tottenham and Manchester United in January, with the postponed game against City from earlier in the season coming up on February 15 as well.