William Saliba urges Arsenal to turn belief into silverware as quadruple dream stays alive

Arsenal’s growing sense of belief must now be matched by trophies, according to William Saliba, as the club enter the New Year still competing on four fronts. The France international insists progress alone is no longer enough, with silverware the clear benchmark for a squad that believes it can win everything it enters.

Arsenal remain alive in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup, setting up a demanding January schedule that includes nine fixtures across competitions. For Saliba, that workload is not a burden but evidence of how far the club have come under Mikel Arteta.

“If we have a lot of games, it means we are doing a good job,” Saliba said, speaking to club media. “We have to keep going, and hopefully the players that are injured will be back in January to help us. We are in every competition now, so we have to keep going.”

Asked directly about the prospect of winning more than one trophy this season, Saliba did not play down Arsenal’s ambition. The defender made it clear the squad believe they can go all the way in each competition they are contesting.

“Yes, of course, because we know that in every competition we play, we know we can win it,” he said. “We have been close in the Premier League in the past three seasons, and last season we were in the semi-finals of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, so we know that we can win every competition. But we have to show that on the pitch, and we have to start winning trophies now.”

Those words underline a subtle shift at Arsenal. Having pushed Manchester City and Liverpool hard in recent league title races and returned to the latter stages of European football, expectations inside the dressing room have changed. Near misses are no longer viewed as steps forward; they are lessons that must now lead to tangible success.

The Carabao Cup may present Arsenal’s most immediate chance to convert belief into silverware. A two-legged semi-final against Chelsea stands between Arteta’s side and a return to Wembley, adding extra edge to an already congested calendar.

Saliba acknowledged the importance of the tie, stressing that every trophy counts when careers are judged in hindsight.

“At the end it is one trophy, and at the end of your career we count our trophies, and the Carabao Cup is one of them,” he said. “Now we are in the semi-final, and of course we want to win this competition, like every competition that we play.”

The defender also referenced the disappointment of last season’s semi-final exits, suggesting Arsenal must apply those lessons quickly.

“We know that we are close, and we have to learn the lesson from last season,” Saliba added.

Arsenal currently sit top of the Premier League table and are well placed to progress into the knockout stages of the Champions League. Confidence around the club is high, but Saliba is keen to stress that focus remains essential, particularly with the volatility that can define the winter period.

“The mood is good, but we know that we are still in December and things can happen quickly in football,” he said. “We have to stay focused and keep believing in ourselves and keep working, because what matters is at the end when we are holding the trophies and not before.”

Having followed Arsenal closely this season, the sense is that squad depth and rotation will be crucial over the coming weeks. January’s fixture list will test not only physical endurance but also the mental resilience of a group now expected to deliver under pressure.

However, it remains too early to draw firm conclusions about how far Arsenal can go on all four fronts. Much will depend on fitness returns, form through January, and how Arteta balances priorities as the stakes rise.

One defining factor could be the return of injured players during January. Saliba referenced the importance of reinforcements from within, and their availability may dictate how aggressively Arsenal can pursue all four competitions. With the Premier League and Champions League both intensifying after the winter break, Arteta’s ability to manage minutes without losing rhythm will be under scrutiny. Depth has improved over recent seasons, but this stretch will test whether it is now title-winning calibre.

Arsenal’s immediate focus turns to the Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea, with two legs set to determine who reaches Wembley. In the league, maintaining momentum at the top of the table through January fixtures will be critical, particularly with Champions League knockout football on the horizon. The FA Cup also begins this month, adding further demands on Arteta’s squad rotation and injury management.

How Arsenal navigate this period could define their season. Strong results across January would reinforce belief that this group is ready to convert progress into trophies.

Can Arsenal finally turn belief into silverware this season, or will the challenge of four competitions prove too much?