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      Granit Xhaka insists Arsenal are ready to fight Man City for title ahead of crunch Leeds clash

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      GRANIT XHAKA has insisted Arsenal are up for a potential title fight with Manchester City. The Gunners find themselves topping the Premier League after nine games having won all but one match so far this season.
      Granit Xhaka has urged Arsenal to believe after their fantastic start to the seasonCredit: Getty
      Few could have expected such a bright start from Mikel Arteta’s men, but it has now left fans dreaming.
      With Liverpool seemingly out of the picture, some are now tipping Arsenal as the main challengers to Manchester City’s crown.
      And Xhaka has refused to shy away from the challenge and believes the club could be on the brink of something special.
      He told the Mail: “It can be a special year. If we keep going like we are working at the moment, we can get something big.
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      “We have to believe in ourselves. If not, why are we playing?
      “What I hear from people outside, they are saying we are not ready to beat the top six. But we did it twice now [against Tottenham and Liverpool].
      “We lost at Manchester United, where we were the better team. We need to give credit and respect to Man City, what they did the last couple of years. You need the perfect day to beat them. But I think we are ready to have this fight against them.”
      Arsenal haven’t won the league since their Invincible season in 2004.
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      Arteta has embarked on a culture change since arriving at the Emirates and re-energised the club with young players and an intense style of football.
      But it will be a difficult mission to overhaul Pep Guardiola’s Man City, who have won four of the last five titles.
      They also did not have Erling Haaland for those previous successes, with the Norwegian ripping up goal records by the week in the league. More

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      PSG line up transfer for Arsenal ace William Saliba just months after defender finally returned to Emirates

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      ARSENAL star William Saliba is attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports. The 21-year-old has starred for the Gunners this season after spending the last two campaigns out on loan in France.
      PSG could move for William Saliba if he cannot agree a new deal at the EmiratesCredit: Alamy
      However a move back to Ligue 1 could be on the cards as PSG are monitoring his contract situation with Saliba having just under two years left on his deal.
      Rumours suggest that there could be some complications over tying the Frenchman down long-term and PSG have already made contact over a possible transfer.
      Arsenal are looking to hand improved deals to Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to fight off interest from other teams with confidence that all three will sign.
      CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs claims Saliba’s is the most complicated of the trio to get done.
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      He said: “Compared to Martinelli and Saka, he’s [Saliba] only been back at the club a few months.
      “He’s still coming to terms with a lot of voices in his ear. It’s not just Marseille, it’s PSG saying: ‘if you’re that uncertain or unsure about Arsenal, we can potentially bring you in’.
      “PSG are definitely still looking for defenders. I see no reason he would want to leave but the only caveat there is he did love living in France. If PSG did come in, it might give him a decision to make.
      “Arsenal have confidence but there is a lot more concrete interest around Saliba.”
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      He has started every Premier League game so far for Mikel Arteta’s side and is swiftly becoming a fan’s favourite having also netted two goals.
      Saliba has been praised by both Ian Wright and Cesc Fabregas recently.
      PSG are a tad short in central defence after letting Thilo Kehrer and Abdou Diallo leave over the summer and not signing any direct replacements.
      Meanwhile Sergio Ramos is now 36-years-old and there has been interest in Presnel Kimpembe previously.
      But seeing Saliba move back to a French side would be a shock. More

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      Arsenal star Fabio Vieira pumping iron three times a week in desperate bid to transform body for Premier League

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      FABIO VIEIRA has been pumping iron in a bid to beef up for Arsenal’s title challenge.The Portuguese playmaker is still acclimatising to the ferocious pace of the top flight after his £30million summer switch from Porto.
      Fabio Vieira is pumping iron in the gym to bulk upCredit: Instagram @fabiodfvieira
      Fabio Vieira trains with Arsenal during the pre-season tour in FloridaCredit: Getty
      But the determined 22-year-old plans to do everything in his power to accelerate the learning process.
      And a big part of his plan to be a key member of Mikel Arteta’s table-toppers involves adding extra muscle to his lightweight frame.
      Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Leeds, Vieira said: “It’s a different type of game in England compared to Portugal. In England it’s more physical. I need to work on this and promise that’s what I am doing. Three times a week, I’m in the gym.
      “It’s time to improve to help the team keep going, to work every day, because we are in first place and need to maintain this run.
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      “Everyone knows what the boss wants so the way to play is easy. When you understand the tactics and everything you need to do, the mood is much more positive.”
      Vieira has only started one league game so far for Arsenal but has been a key player in their perfect start in the Europa League.
      And fears that he was too similar in style to play alongside captain Martin Odegaard were dismissed during Thursday night’s 1-0 win at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.
      Vieira said: “To win away to a team with 14 straight home wins in Europe, and in difficult weather, shows how good our mentality is.
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      “Everyone knows that Martin has a lot of quality and I am here to help him and all my other team-mates as much as I can.”
      Odegaard is equally confident that he can work in tandem with the Portuguese Under-21 international and explained: “Fabio is a little bit different to me and it’s brilliant to play with him.
      “He has great qualities on the ball and we can both play in different positions, so hopefully we will do more together in the future.”
      Vieira is likely to be back on the bench at Elland Road as Arsenal look to maintain their slender lead at the top of the table.
      And Odegaard insists the Gunners’ blistering start to the season is no flash in the pan.
      He said: “I’m not surprised by the resilience of this team to keep winning games because I know the mindset we now have.
      “Everyone is ready for every game and it doesn’t matter who starts, our mentality is always to go out there and get the three points.
      “Everyone knows the style and the principles at the club and we all fight for the same thing.
      “It’s such a busy schedule playing every three days, so we have to recover as quickly as possible because Leeds is a difficult game.
      “It’s been a very good start but no one is getting carried away. We have to stay calm and work hard.
      “And then we’ll see where that takes us this season.” More

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      Arsenal transfer blow as target Douglas Luiz signs new long-term contract at Aston Villa after failed deadline-day move

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      DOUGLAS Luiz has signed a new long-term contract with Aston Villa in a blow to Arsenal.The 24-year-old has finally put pen to paper, with his old deal running out in the summer.
      Douglas Luiz was beaming at the press conference announcing the new dealCredit: Twitter @AVFCOfficial
      Douglas Luiz signs long-term deal with Aston VillaCredit: Getty
      Luiz shared his delight on the new contract, saying: “I love this club, I love the people here, the staff, the players and I’m so comfortable.”
      Fans have shared their support for the Brazilian international on Twitter with one calling Luiz “King of the Midlands” while another posted that it’s “the best news this season”.
      Arsenal made multiple bids for Luiz, hoping to seal a deal before the summer transfer window ended.
      With less than one year on Luiz’s contact it was reported the club came back with a second offer of £23m on deadline day that was turned down.
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      They were expected to make a third bid in January of around £15m, with Mikel Arteta becoming increasingly concerned over the injury-prone Thomas Partey.
      Luiz says he decided to sign with Villa as he’s loyal to the club after they opened up the door to his Premier League dreams.
      Luiz says: “[I signed] because I love this club. The club opened the door when I came to England and played in the Premier League.
      “I am so happy. ”
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      The Brazilian has made 120 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists, since signing from Manchester City in 2019.
      Luiz also won Olympic gold with his country last year in Tokyo. More

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      Man City star Ilkay Gundogan targeted by Juventus for summer transfer with midfielder’s contract expiring

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      MANCHESTER CITY star Ilkay Gundogan is being targeted by Juventus with the midfielder’s contract expiring, reports say.The 32-year-old’s deal is up next summer where he would be allowed to walk out of the club on a free.
      Pep Guardiola has developed a ruthless streak of allowing first team regulars to goCredit: Getty
      Gundogan has enjoyed a very successful spell since moving to ManchesterCredit: Rex
      Gundogan was Pep Guardiola’s first signing in 2016 and has been a consistently important squad member in the juggernaut winning machine the Spaniard has built.
      But Juventus are now circling as they look to beef up their midfield.
      Calcio Mercato report that under-pressure boss Massimiliano Allegri is keen to add skill and guile to the middle of the park.
      The Old Lady have had a difficult start to the season both domestically and in Europe.
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      And Allegri has not been helped by injuries to major players such as Paul Pogba and Federico Chiesa.
      If the German star were to not renew his deal at the Etihad, he would be available on a free next summer and available to sign a pre-contract with foreign clubs from January.
      But he continues to be a key part of the squad and has started six of City’s nine Premier League matches so far this season, scoring twice and assisting once in that time.
      In fact his only sticky moment this season was when his wife criticised Manchester restaurants – despite Guardiola owning a tapas joint.
      There have also been complications over his contract.
      Guardiola has previously dispensed of major squad members, including Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko in the summer.
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      Despite those losses, City have started the season in frightening form.
      They are still yet to be beaten this season and only occupy second spot due to Arsenal’s fast start.
      The Citizens will face their most difficult test of the season when they travel to Liverpool on Sunday. More

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      Arsenal ready to battle Tottenham and Man Utd for ‘next Neymar’ as 19-year-old Santos prodigy Marcos Leonardo targeted

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      ARSENAL are reportedly set to battle rivals Manchester United and Tottenham for Brazilian wonderkid Marcos Leonardo.Santos star Leonardo, 19, has been dubbed the “next Neymar” and is tipped for big things.
      Marcos Leonardo is a reported transfer target for the Premier League big namesCredit: Reuters
      The forward has scored 11 goals in 28 Brazilian top-flight games this season.
      And his form has seen the biggest names in the Premier League sit up and take notice.
      Arsenal, United AND Tottenham are all interested in the striker, according to Calciomercato.
      Previous reports claimed Leonardo was on his way to Liverpool, but there are now multiple teams chasing his signature.
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      Overseas Serie A pacesetters Napoli are also rumoured to be keen on the teenage sensation.
      Leonardo has previously expressed his desire to play in the Prem one day.
      He is currently starring for Neymar and Pele’s former club, but is intent on playing on the world’s biggest stage.
      He told The Mirror back in June : “I want to play in the Premier League one day.
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      “I watch a lot of games, and it is one of the main championships in the world.
      “Not only for the competition among the teams, but also for the whole league.
      “The proof is that English clubs always arrive in finals like the Champions League.” More

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      Graphic showing biggest club in every county across England causes outrage with Arsenal topping Chelsea in London

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      WHICH club is the biggest in London?That debate has been sparked once again by a fan who produced a graphic detailing the biggest club in each county in England.
      Arsenal being picked over Chelsea for London has proved controversialCredit: Twitter @craigDLyons
      Arsenal have bragging rights in London at the momentCredit: Getty
      Sheffield United being chosen over Wednesday has also provoked outrageCredit: Reuters
      The supporter selected Arsenal for London, but many Chelsea fans believe that is the wrong choice.
      That is not the only region that has caused controversy with Sheffield Wednesday fans bemused that rivals United have been picked for South Yorkshire.
      Elsewhere, Colchester have been chosen over fierce rivals Southend despite the Shrimpers boasting double the average attendances of their neighbours this season, and in a division below too.
      Further north Lincoln fans have the bragging rights over rivals Grimbsy as the Imps have been controversially selected as the biggest side in Lincolnshire.
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      But fans in London have been the most vocal in defending their team’s right to be the best in the capital.
      The Gunners traditionally boast the best support in London along with the most trophies, and Mikel Arteta has claimed no club in the city is bigger.
      But in recent years Chelsea have become world champions and victors of the Champions League twice – a feat Arsenal have never achieved.
      As a result, some Blues cannot believe Arsenal have been chosen as London’s biggest club.
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      But with Arsenal in the title race this term having collected 24 points from an available 27, they could have a Premier League trophy to parade around come the end of the season.
      The Gunners are sat top, edging out defending champions Manchester City by one point.
      Chelsea, meanwhile, are lagging eight points behind.
      However, Blues fans will be feeling more confident with Graham Potter at the wheel.
      They’ve got off to an unbeaten start under the Englishman and stuck five past Serie A champions AC Milan across two games in the Champions League.
      One fan wrote: “Funny how the only club from the capital that has won two European championships doesn’t feature.”
      But an Arsenal fan said: “Lol so many pressed Chelsea fans. London has more Arsenal fans it’s a fact. Chelsea has more international fans i.e US. But Arsenal IS the club with the largest London fanbase. Deal with it.”
      A third football supporter added: “Is this one of those parody accounts? Imagine thinking that Sheffield United are bigger than Wednesday.” More

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      Seven players Arsenal could look to sign in January transfer window to bolster squad depth as Bodo/Glimt expose cracks

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      ARSENAL’S squad depth needs improving if they want to go all the way in the Europa League and maintain their domestic challenge. What looked to be a comfortable, routine win away at Bodo/Glimt proved anything but as cracks began to appear in the second half. 
      Reiss Nelson proved he is a long way behind Gabriel Martinelli at left wingCredit: Reuters
      Thomas Partey, Martinelli and William Saliba were among the first-team stars to feature in NorwayCredit: Getty
      And it forced Mikel Arteta to turn to two of his standout stars of the season – Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli – to solidify his under-pressure team defensively and reinvigorate the stuttering attack. 
      Yes, Arsenal limped over the line to make it 11 wins from 12 this season.
      But tonight has only reinforced Arteta’s strongest Arsenal XI are not being challenged just yet. 
      Fabio Vieira was unable to replicate his fine performance from a week ago as Albert Sambi Lokonga looked the best of the bunch to come into the side aside from No2 goalkeeper Matt Turner. 
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      Reiss Nelson was on the plastic pitch for 59 minutes – apparently – and there are reports that Eddie Nketiah is said to have got the full 90. 
      And at the back, Rob Holding was the weak link and had Matt Turner and Amahl Pellegrino’s woeful finishing to thank for not handing the Norwegians an equaliser. 
      There is no doubt Arteta is building something special at the Emirates and the plan is not to peak this season. 
      The board and the fans are learning to be patient and “trust the process” – so far, so good.
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      But with the Gunners proving to be Manchester City’s genuine title rivals – let alone a top-four finish – and the Europa League a genuine ambition, tonight was a stark reminder the squad isn’t deep enough for both. 
      Holding looked a liability in the Arctic Circle, Nelson offered nothing on his first Arsenal start in 642 days, another centre-mid is desirable and Nketiah is a major drop-off from Gabriel Jesus. 
      So what could Arteta do to bolster the squad in January?
      On tonight’s evidence, a new centre-back and a new winger is a must. 

      The Gunners have already been linked with exciting Ukraine winger Mykhaylo Mudryk and Inter Milan’s experienced centre-back Milan Skriniar is out of contract in eight months – both would be excellent additions to this squad. 
      In the middle, Vieira is certainly an excellent addition and will take time to flourish – and time he will get – while Lokonga does a job.
      But the Gunners’ last-ditch effort to sign Douglas Luiz on deadline day proved there is still room for another addition.
      Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli has been heavily linked and could be a suitable candidate – although Youri Tielemans’ future remains up in the air – and Dusan Vlahovic would undoubtedly be a better understudy to Nketiah, who will be frustrated at his lack of impact in Norway. 
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      Vlahovic only joined Juve earlier this year at Arsenal’s expense but with the Old Lady struggling, he could be tempted to move on and test himself in England.
      Another option, and a cheaper one, could be Iran’s Mehdi Taremi from Porto. 
      Mykhaylo Mudryk is proving to be one of the rising talents in EuropeCredit: AFP
      Dusan Vlahovic and Manuel Locatelli could swap Juventus for the EmiratesCredit: Getty
      Milan Skriniar would add leadership and steel to Arsenal’s back line as an extra defenderCredit: Getty More