Mikel Arteta says the Premier League title race is still "impossible" to call at this stage and has refrained from ruling Arsenal out of the hunt while sending a warning to leaders Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s side top the table by six points and have a game in hand over second-place Arsenal, who jumped ahead of Chelsea following Friday's 1-0 win over Ipswich Town. Liverpool have lost just once this season, while the Gunners have lost two league matches.

However, Arsenal have drawn three more games (six) than Liverpool, the two teams sharing the points in October’s 2-2 draw. With Manchester City continuing to falter, Arsenal and Chelsea are seen as Liverpool’s biggest threats for the title.

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Despite the Reds holding a commanding lead heading into the final game of 2024, Arteta believes the chase for the crown is far from done and warned Liverpool that the picture can change very quickly.

Asked about the title race, Arteta told club media: “It’s impossible to say because there’s so much to play for and a lot of teams are going to have to go through a lot of unexpected things.

“Losing a game in this league is very easy and losing the next one is very easy. You can draw the next one and in three weeks you’re in a very different position, so let’s see what happens.”

Arsenal have suffered numerous significant injury setbacks this term. Martin Odegaard missed seven Premier League games between September and November due to an ankle injury while knee surgery for Ben White has ruled him out until March.

And now, Bukayo Saka is facing more than two months on the sidelines due to a hamstring setback. Additionally, Arsenal have tallied three red cards this season with Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba all serving suspensions at various stages.

However, Arteta insists he is not using injuries and ill-discipline as an “excuse” for the gap between his team and Liverpool. “First of all, credit to Liverpool because they’ve been incredibly consistent and, when a team does that, normally it’s going to be leading the way,” Arteta added.

“It’s true that we’ve played three games with 10 men for long periods and that has cost us points that are crucial. On top of that, we had injuries, but again that’s part of football.

“We cannot look at it as an excuse. We want to be better and that’s what we try to do.”