Things are looking up for Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing Gunners, who are firing on all cylinders in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup at the moment. The 2025/26 season keeps getting better for Arsenal. The Gunners are stringing together victories with ruthless consistency, pulling clear of their Premier League title rivals – many of whom are still stumbling for form.
Arsenal aren’t just winning – they’re dominating at both ends of the pitch. Mikel Arteta’s side have conceded just three goals in 14 matches across all competitions and are currently on course to beat Chelsea’s long-standing Premier League record of 15 goals conceded, set in 2004/05.
Their 2-0 win over Brighton in the Carabao Cup in midweek made it eight straight victories and six consecutive clean sheets. With a quarter-final tie against Crystal Palace on the horizon and strong positions in both the Premier League and Champions League, Arsenal are flying high on all fronts.
The schedule offers every chance to extend their remarkable run too. A Champions League meeting with underdogs Slavia Praha is sandwiched between league fixtures against newly promoted Burnley and Sunderland – all before the final international break of the calendar year next month.
Tougher challenges await when the domestic calendar resumes, however, with successive clashes against Tottenham and Chelsea in the league, either side of a European showdown with Bayern Munich. As the Gunners look ahead to a potentially season-defining period, here’s a round-up of all the latest Arsenal news.
Scholes Doubles Down on Rice Criticism – Exposing the ‘Defensive’ Flaw
Paul Scholes has reiterated his belief that Declan Rice isn’t one of the best midfielders in the world – a stinging verdict that has laid bare what many see as the England star’s shocking weakness: a lack of true progressive flair in the engine room. The Manchester United legend caused a stir earlier this month when he snubbed Rice from his ‘top five’ list, which included two other Premier League stars – Rodri and Alexis Mac Allister – as well as Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Vitinha.
Clarifying his position on the Stick to Football podcast, Scholes insisted he left the likes of Rice and Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo off his list because he prefers midfielders who can control the tempo of games with vision and creativity, not just relentless energy.
“I get slagged off for this, but I did a top five the other week, and because I don’t put people like [Moises] Caicedo and Declan Rice, because I like a different type of midfielder,” Scholes said. “I like a Vitinha at PSG, I think he’s brilliant – he’s amazing. I thought [Alexis] Mac Allister last year, at Liverpool, was brilliant – now he’s not started great this year.
“But I like that more, not so much attacking midfielder, but maybe that more controlling one who can do a bit of everything, not just the defensive one who just gets around it and might score the odd goal here and there. I like the more progressive type.”
He added: “People say, ‘You didn’t have Declan Rice in your top-five,’ [that’s] because he’s not my type of midfielder.”
Scholes’ comments have reignited debates about Rice’s role at Arsenal, where his tireless work rate has been a cornerstone of Arteta’s success – but at what cost to the team’s creative output? With the Gunners dominating defensively, the question lingers: does Rice’s ‘defensive shield’ style hold them back from unlocking true title-winning potential?
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Paul Scholes has doubled down on his Declan Rice comments (Image: The Overlap)
Teammate’s Defiant Six-Word Blast – A Subtle Jab at Rice’s Limitations?
In a moment that’s sent shockwaves through the Arsenal camp, young star Myles Lewis-Skelly has seemingly exposed Rice’s glaring weakness with a bold, defiant six-word message: “I’m never going to back down.”
The 19-year-old has slipped down the Arsenal pecking order this season but insists he’s relishing the battle for the left-back spot with Riccardo Calafiori, who has started every Premier League game so far. Lewis-Skelly made a big impression last season, breaking through with a series of standout performances that suggested he was on course to become a regular for both club and country. But after managing just 85 minutes of league football in the past three months, the England youngster now faces an uphill task to force his way back into Arteta’s plans.
His comments, delivered with unshakeable confidence, come amid whispers in the dressing room about the need for more ‘progressive’ profiles across the squad – a direct echo of Scholes’ critique of Rice. While Lewis-Skelly was speaking about his own fight for minutes, insiders suggest his refusal to “back down” is a rallying cry for Arsenal’s youth to push boundaries, contrasting sharply with the more conservative, defensive mindset attributed to Rice. Is this the young gun’s way of highlighting the team’s over-reliance on Rice’s safety-first approach?
Despite his new, reduced role, Lewis-Skelly, who assisted Ethan Nwaneri’s opener against Brighton, insists he is enjoying the challenge, describing himself as competitive and unwilling to back down, while noting the high standards in the team. “I’m enjoying it,” he said. “It’s a different experience for me, not playing as much at the moment, but I’m enjoying being part of the team.
“It’s important to compete for places and I’m a competitive person, so I’m never going to back down. I enjoy the challenge. Being with these boys is a joy. The standards are high and everyone wants to play. Because the levels are so much higher this season, places are short, but you’ve just got to compete.
“At the end of the day, I just want to express myself. Football’s what I love and I’ll never make excuses if I am playing or not. I just want to go out there and express myself. As long as I’m doing that, I’m giving the gaffer a choice to make.”
Lewis-Skelly’s words have stunned fans and pundits alike, with some interpreting them as a veiled call for Arsenal to evolve beyond Rice’s defensive dominance toward a more attacking, unyielding ethos. As the Gunners chase glory on multiple fronts, could this be the spark that forces Arteta to reassess his midfield blueprint?
Arsenal Targeting ‘Next Lewandowski’ – But Will Rice’s Weakness Scupper the Attack?
The Gunners might have just signed Viktor Gyokeres, but that hasn’t stopped them from scouting potential additions to their forward line – whether as replacements, or partners for the Swede. One name reportedly on their radar is Levante striker Karl Etta Eyong, who has been making waves in Spain this season.
The 22-year-old Cameroonian has drawn comparisons to Robert Lewandowski for his movement and finishing, having scored six goals in La Liga so far – a tally bettered only by Kylian Mbappe’s 11. Yet, with Rice anchoring the midfield in a more protective role, questions arise: can Arsenal’s attack truly flourish without a more dynamic presence further back to feed these clinical finishers?
Arsenal aren’t the only club keeping tabs on him. Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona are also said to be monitoring Etta Eyong’s progress, with Barca – in an ironic twist – viewing him as a potential successor to their own 37-year-old Lewandowski.
Mundo Deportivo reported the player has a buyout clause in his contract that’s worth roughly £26.5million for La Liga clubs, while Premier League sides would have to pay around £35m.
As Arsenal navigate this golden run, the spotlight on Rice intensifies. Scholes’ brutal assessment and Lewis-Skelly’s unyielding vow have cracked open a debate that could define the Gunners’ season: is defensive solidity enough, or does the team need to ‘never back down’ from embracing bolder, more progressive risks? With big games looming, Arteta will be hoping his midfield maestro – and his young challengers – can prove the doubters wrong.