After losing the Premier League title match the previous year, Arsenal hopes to play better consistently in the “most important” part of the campaign this time around, according to manager Mikel Arteta.

Before their title challenge collapsed last season, when they were surpassed by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, the north London team had been the league leaders for almost 250 days.

They are two points behind leaders Liverpool and even with second-placed City in the standings after 24 games, having played one more game than the champions.

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They are once again competing for the championship.

“It’s the most important part of the season. Every fixture is going to play a significant role in what we want to achieve,” Arteta told reporters ahead of Saturday’s game against Burnley at Turf Moor.

“Burnley is the most important one at the moment. With them, it’s been extremely small margins.

“We have a very tough match on Saturday, we have to play with the same enthusiasm and the rest will come.

“We have learned a lot from last season, we have shown a lot of consistency in the team and now we want to make a step forward and keep that level of consistency.”

The Spanish manager stated that he anticipates having the entire team available to him.

“Some of them have been progressing more than others, we have got a training session today and I am positive we will get a few players back tomorrow,” Arteta said.

“We have to go game-by-game and in the last few weeks we have had to play other players and we have not had players to do so, certain players we have tried to manage that in the best way.

“No big set-backs and Thomas Partey is progressing really well and I don’t want to say too much, but it is looking good.”