Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits he is already feeling the pressure of the Premier League title race, despite the season being only two games old. The Gunners maintained their perfect start on Monday with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park, secured by Bukayo Saka’s second-half strike.

Arteta said the expectation to win is already intense, pointing to the difficulty of collecting points in the Premier League. The victory was Arsenal’s seventh opening-two-game winning start in the last eight seasons and their fifth in succession. He described the win at Villa Park as “massive” and one the team deserved.

The Spaniard also revealed that last season’s painful defeat at Villa Park motivated the players. Arteta said the memory of seeing his players “totally gutted” after that loss remained with him and was used to fuel their energy, belief and conviction. He praised Arsenal’s ability to withstand pressure when needed and dominate when they had control of the game.