The Arsenal boss took a swipe at his Premier League rivals amid criticism of his side not winning a trophy this season
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Sport
19:41, 18 May 2025
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has taken a subtle swipe at Manchester United and Spurs.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta took a not so subtle swipe at Manchester United and Tottenham after criticism about his side not winning a trophy this season. The Spanish head coach said his side were able to compete for top honours despire their injury problems, while 'other clubs finished in 16th and 17th'.
The Gunners were the closest team to Liverpool throughout the campaign, but fell short in that regard, finishing as runners-up for the second season in a row. Arsenal were also beaten in the Champions League semi-final by PSG to deny Arteta's side a shot at winning European silverware this season.
Both United and Spurs have endured dismal Premier League campaigns but are in the Europa League Final and will do battle at the San Mames Stadium on Wednesday night.
Pundits post-match questioned if Ruben Amorim's side were to win the competition, whether that would mean a better season than Arteta and Arsenal.
Speaking post match, the Gunners' boss was asked about his team's campaign and told Sky Sports: "We’re very disappointed because we wanted to be here with the Premier League or the Champions League and it’s not the case.
"Chasing a dream has its ups and downs, but we need to recognise what we’ve done – I’ve seen other teams with one or two injuries finish fifth, eighth, sixteenth, seventeenth.
"What this team has done, in my own opinion, to sustain the level throughout the season with everything that has happened, is incredible."
When asked if this season had been his most testing in charge, Arteta said: "Yeah, and brought out more pride. Because of the culture that we’ve set, because of the standards we have set – that regardless of what happens you have to seek for the best and do your best, and that’s what we’ve done.
"We are there [challenging for major honours]. Nobody wants us to be there. We have been there now for three or four seasons and I want to take us from there [to the next level], and that is going to be difficult."
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