Arteta enjoying being the 'hunted' and urges Arsenal players to show desire to retain Premier League

LONDON (AP) — Mikel Arteta is enjoying the view from the top of English soccer as Arsenal’s players “start from scratch” in their bid to retain the Premier League title.

After painful near misses in three straight campaigns, Arsenal ended its 22-year wait to be English champion last season and is the favorite with British oddsmakers to win the league again.

The title defense begins Friday at home to Coventry.

“In the last three seasons, at some point we were first and at some point we were chasing. And you never know what is better,” Arteta said. “But if you give me the choice, I want to be first. I want to be hunted, and I want to be in control of our future, rather than depending on somebody else.”

Arteta called on his players to retain the hunger they had last season.

“We start from scratch, from zero, and we’re going to have to prove we are at the level to go back to that position again,” he said. “We need to show that desire and the ambition to be better than what we were last season, a month ago, a week ago.”

Bruno Guimaraes, a summer signing from Newcastle, is fighting to be fit for the Coventry match after being substituted with a right thigh injury in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday.

Arteta also appeared to dispel any doubts about the future of 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly following reports in the British media about a potential move away.

Asked if Lewis-Skelly will be staying at Arsenal beyond this transfer window, Arteta said: “100%.”

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