• Gunners beat Liverpool to lift Community Shield
  • ‘It is another thing to sustain it for 10 months’

Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal are closing the gap on the Premier League’s leading sides but must improve internally and via the transfer market to sustain their progress over an entire season.

Arsenal secured the second trophy of Arteta’s short managerial career on Saturday with a penalty shootout victory over Liverpool in the Community Shield. Since mid-July Arsenal, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season and ten points adrift of Champions League qualification, have beaten the champions in the league plus both Manchester City and Chelsea in the FA Cup as the new manager’s reign gathers momentum as well as silverware.

Related: Arsenal display more reason for optimism than they have had for years | Jonathan Wilson

Related: Brilliant Bukayo Saka shows Mikel Arteta has plenty of talent at Arsenal | Paul Wilson

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