Mikel Arteta won’t be standing for any Charity Shield slander.
The Arsenal manager was keen to put the trophy back in his silverware count after a journalist overlooked it during his latest press conference.
Arteta has two Community Shield wins to his name as Arsenal manager
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Arteta has two Community Shield wins to his name as Arsenal managerCredit: Getty
Arteta was speaking to the media ahead of his side’s Carabao Cup quarter-final tie with Crystal Palace, a match that presents a huge chance of another trophy lift as Manchester City and Chelsea are already knocked out.
However, when discussing the Gunners chances, a reporter was instantly corrected when he said it would be Arteta’s second Arsenal trophy since his 2020 FA Cup win.
“The charity shield as well twice, no? So it’s three,” he said. “We need more, we want more, and we want the big ones that’s for sure.”
The Charity, or Community Shield, has long been an opinion divider in England as it doesn’t have the prestige of Super Cups elsewhere in Europe and across the globe.
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However, to say Arsenal’s were meaningless certainly undermines their achievements, given their opponents.
In 2020 the Gunners took down a Liverpool side at the peak of their powers under Jurgen Klopp, winning on penalties after Takumi Minamino cancelled-out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s opener.
Then in 2023, their victory was just as impressive. Facing the reigning European treble winners Man City, it was another penalty win following Leandro Trossard’s late stoppage time equaliser after Cole Palmer had put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead.
Those victories mean that Arteta has three winners medals as Arsenal manager, yet as he said, his focus is clearly on ‘the big ones’.
In Europe his best results have been a Europa League semi-final and Champions League quarter-final, but in the Premier League he’s come closest to ultimate glory.
In the 2022/23 season Arsenal finished Premier League runners-up, five points short of champions City, and they went even closer last time out, just two points off City again.
Arteta has twice finished as a runner-up to Guardiola who he worked under at City
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Arteta has twice finished as a runner-up to Guardiola who he worked under at CityCredit: Getty
This term things are looking even more tricky with Arsenal six points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand.
However, Arteta isn’t feeling any pressure when it comes to the Carabao Cup, as he explained: “The pressure is about being at a big club or winning the major trophies. This is what we want to do.”
But he added: “We want to win and do everything we can to win it.”