Mikel Arteta insisted the pain of losing the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City would galvanise his team, but that narrative has been harder to sustain after a surprise FA Cup exit at Southampton. The defeat at St Mary’s raised a simple but stark question: do Arsenal have the temperament of champions?
The loss was a missed opportunity to return to Wembley and keep the momentum for silverware. On paper Arsenal still have advantages — a favourable Champions League draw and a seemingly comfortable Premier League lead — yet nothing feels guaranteed. A team once praised for clinical efficiency is suddenly exposed, and talk of a quadruple has been replaced by growing doubts.
Manchester City’s late-season form compounds the concern. City sit nine points behind with a game in hand and have shown in recent weeks they can produce the kind of high-quality displays that trigger a title run. Their history of chasing Arsenal in close races only adds pressure on the squad and supporters.
Arteta has clear areas to worry about.
Individual errors are up
Arsenal’s nervousness at decisive moments has translated into costly individual mistakes. At Wembley Kepa spilled a cross that led to City’s opener; at St Mary’s Ben White mistimed a jump and allowed Southampton to score. Opta data cited by the club showed eight goals conceded from errors in the past 23 games, after just one in the previous 28 — a significant swing.
Defensive instability
Arteta pointed to problems coping with long balls and one-on-one situations as reasons for Southampton’s goals. Whether caused by changes in central defence — William Saliba started on the bench at St Mary’s — or disruption in the goalkeeper spot, opponents will be encouraged to test Arsenal’s defensive organisation.
Injuries and fitness concerns
Arsenal’s injury list is not extensive, but several key names were unavailable or not fully fit at St Mary’s. Gabriel appeared to pick up an issue during the match. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were absent from the squad; both are primary set-piece takers, and the absence of Eberechi Eze further restricts attacking choices. Martin Ødegaard made his first start since late January, while Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke and Saliba only managed substitute appearances. The squad is not at full strength heading into a demanding spell.
City’s threat
This iteration of Manchester City may not match Guardiola’s all-time best sides, but the club still carries an innate ability to lift standards in a title run-in. With seven league games left, a handful of performances like those at Wembley or against Liverpool could be enough to spark a comeback, and Arsenal — a team that has been caught late in previous seasons — will be braced for a similar challenge.
A crucial fortnight
Arsenal face a testing run that will reveal whether they have the composure to see off challengers and manage multiple competitions. Their next five fixtures:
– Tue 7 Apr: Sporting (A) — Champions League
– Sat 11 Apr: Bournemouth (H) — Premier League
– Wed 15 Apr: Sporting (H) — Champions League
– Sun 19 Apr: Man City (A) — Premier League
– Sat 25 Apr: Newcastle (H) — Premier League
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s next five games include Chelsea away, the trip to Arsenal, an FA Cup semi-final, and league matches at Everton and against Brentford — a sequence that could allow them to build momentum quickly.
Those two weeks will be a gruelling examination of Arsenal’s character. If they can limit mistakes, tighten their defence and get key players back to fitness, they can hope to withstand City’s charge. If not, the gap at the top may narrow fast and the question about their temperament will only grow louder.