Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain, with Mikel Arteta then making a strange claim about Manchester City's last two Premier League title wins.
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, enters the pitch prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, enters the pitch prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta has made the baffling claim that his Arsenal side have two Premier League titles over the last two seasons, despite missing out to both Manchester City and Liverpool by some distance.
Arteta launched a staunch defence of his side after they were beaten in the Champions League semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain, who were 3-0 up on aggregate and had missed a penalty by the time Bukayo Saka pulled a solitary goal back. Arteta then claimed Arsenal were better than PSG over the two legs and deserved to reach the final.
"I don't think there has been a better team in the competition so far from what I have seen, but we are out," Arteta said. "I am saying that because they (PSG) just told me that. Today I see how much my players wanted it because they were in tears.
"The Champions League is decided in the boxes, and it's won them the game. The result should have been very different. Two years ago, nobody believed that we could qualify for the Champions League, or even think that we could finish second and compete in the league. And the amount of points that we have scored in other years, makes you a champion."
Before the second leg, Arteta claimed Arsenal were deserving of the last two Premier League titles because of the points they won despite not finishing first.
"Winning trophies is about being in the right moment in the right place," he said. "Liverpool have won the title with less points than we have in the last two seasons. So for the past two seasons we have two Premier League [titles]."
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Arsenal have finished second in the last two seasons behind City with 84 and 89 points - totals only able to guarantee one title in the last nine years - and Liverpool are currently on 82 points with three games remaining. If they win all three, including a clash with Arteta's men this weekend, they will accrue 91 points and beat Arsenal's tally of the last two seasons.
Arteta's comments may not be well received at City, particularly when compared to Liverpool who have come second with 92 and 97 points in recent epic battles with City.
The comments also follow the Blues frustration with Arsenal's approach at the Etihad this season with Erling Haaland telling Arteta to 'stay humble', John Stones accusing Arsenal of 'dark arts' and Bernardo Silva then offering a scathing assessment of their inability to win trophies.
“Maybe [the difference is] that Liverpool have already won the Premier League, Arsenal haven’t," he said in September. "That Liverpool have won the Champions League, Arsenal haven’t. Liverpool always faced us face-to-face, to try to win the games, so from this perspective the games against Arsenal haven’t been like the ones we had and have against Liverpool. So yes, maybe a different rivalry.”
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