Mikel Arteta has downplayed the need for a new striker at Arsenal, insisting that his side's current goalscoring form is sufficient evidence that they don't need to spend big in the transfer market to catch Liverpool. He says his team has "more than enough" to finish ahead of the Reds.

Arsenal is gearing up to close the gap on Liverpool with a win against Brighton this Saturday, aiming to capitalize before Arne Slot's men face Manchester United at Anfield. The Gunners' impressive start to the year saw them net three times against Brentford, bringing their season's goal tally to 38, trailing only behind Tottenham and Liverpool.

Gabriel Jesus has been particularly prolific, hitting his sixth goal in four games. Ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium, Arteta addressed speculation about acquiring a new forward, stating: "Signing somebody is not enough, that is for sure. That signing has to score then how many goals? A lot of things have to happen. Sign, and then score 20 goals from here until the end (of the season) and then you have a better chance? Maybe, yes, I don't know.

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Arteta expressed confidence in his squad, saying: "I am very happy with the players we have and when you look at the amount of goals that we have scored, too, it is more than enough to win the Premier League.

"But the reality is somebody is doing more. And that is life, so we have to do better. If something extraordinary is on the market that we can afford, and we think they will have a real impact on the team, we have to be open for that possibility always. But at the moment, the focus is on what we have."

Post-Brentford, Arteta disclosed that a virus had hit the squad, with Kai Havertz being sent home to isolate. Yet, he anticipates Havertz's return for the upcoming southern coast trip. Arteta remains hopeful about Raheem Sterling's comeback from a knee injury within two weeks and expects Ben White to recover from his minor knee surgery before the month's end.

Arsenal's recent form has positioned them as Liverpool's primary challengers for the title, following Chelsea's three-game winless streak. With an equal points tally to Liverpool in the 2024 calendar year and a game in hand, Arsenal celebrated 34 victories out of 50 last year, marking their highest win rate since 1932 and netting 114 goals.

"We have to show the same level of consistency," Arteta said. "In the last year, we have been the best in the league and broken various records but we have not won a major trophy so something is missing.

"That can be very tiny, small details. At the end we were so close and we just need to flick that coin to the other side to make it happen, but that will only happen if we do what we have to do and what we can control. The rest is out of our hands."

Liverpool.com says: Arsenal is clearly the team most likely to stop Liverpool from winning the Premier League at this point. The Gunners could do with some more attacking firepower, though Slot and his players won't be taking anything for granted.