Arsenal 'don’t have to look at the negatives', says Merino

If Manchester City were to be knocked off their perch, Arsenal were expected to be the ones to take the crown at the beginning of the season. After finishing second to Guardiola's men in each of the past two campaigns, Mikel Arteta's squad was tooled up with more reinforcements in a bid to land a first league title since 2004.

But they have won just three of their last nine matches in the competition. "You have to look at it all, not only the result, but at the same time look at where the team is coming from, how the team is playing, and I think today is a day to be very proud of the guys," Mikel Merino said to encourage his team after their 1-1 draw against Chelsea.

"I think we did an amazing job after a difficult couple of weeks with a lot of injuries, with not the best results. I think the mentality and the character that these guys are showing are just unbelievable," he continued.

"You can see it, just [after] conceding a goal away from home, against a team who is normally dominant, and you are the ones who are dictating the tempo and attacking and creating the chances. This is a big sign of what this team is about. I am a positive person and I hope for the future the results are coming and this team will grow."

Merino went on to add: "We don’t have to look at the negatives. We have to look at the positives. We have to look at ourselves, at how we want to perform, and not start thinking about what is going to happen if we lose. That’s adding extra pressure."