“He thinks they could’ve won the league without this and that” - Jamie Carragher issues warning to Mikel Arteta amid Arsenal's search for silverware
Jamie Carragher has warned Mikel Arteta that Arsenal could be hunting for their next manager if he does not win silverware next season. He said the Spaniard has made them believe in competing, but the club might opt for another manager to take them over the line.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher claimed that Arteta feels Arsenal could have won a trophy this season without the injuries and the refereeing decisions that have gone against them. However, he believes the club's board would not look at it that way, and the manager will be under pressure next season. He said:
"I think he's convinced inside that they have been victims in some ways, with the sendings off and injuries they have had. I think deep down he thinks they could have won the league without this and that. There's no doubt they would be a lot closer but the sendings-off are down to you. They weren't all sendings-off, but that can happen in a season. The injuries have hit them this season but they also played for them last season. What they have done in terms of competing Man City in the last two seasons is fantastic but a lot of that was down to having the same eight or nine players week in, week out, and him never rotating."
"The job he has done, to get Arsenal from where they were to here. They made the jump to competing with Man City and they followed it up again last season, and they've been the team that pushed Liverpool this season. This season felt like it should have been their season. There's no doubt next season the pressure will be on Arteta massively in terms of winning something and winning something big. If they don't do that, the Arsenal board will have a massive issue, because they won't want to change the manager, but there will be lots of people saying 'five or six years without a trophy' and they will be looking at how many managers can make that next step."
Arsenal are second in the Premier League this season, with two matches left. They lost in the UEFA Champions League semifinal to PSG but failed to make any significant progress in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup this season.
Mikel Arteta completes 5 years without a trophy at Arsenal
Mikel Arteta won the FA Cup within months of joining Arsenal as the replacement for Unai Emery. The Spaniard defeated Chelsea in the final, but that has been his only trophy at the club.
The Gunners have finished 2nd in the Premier League in the last two seasons, both times losing out to Manchester City. They have lost the league title race to Liverpool this year and are now fighting to finish in the top four.
Mikel Arteta was quizzed about his five years without a trophy, and the manager was quick to note the two Community Shields he has won. However, he admitted that it was not enough and they needed to win more.
