Mikel Arteta is finally a Premier League-winning manager, after Arsenal secured their first title in 22 years on Tuesday night, following Manchester City's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.
The Gunners sit on 82 points, four clear of Pep Guardiola's side, with just one game remaining, and can now turn their attentions towards the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30th in Budapest, as they look to win the tournament for the first time in their history.
It's been a remarkable season for the north London side, with Arteta ending a six-year trophy drought, but while some questioned him during the difficult years of his tenure, Jose Mourinho saw it all coming years ago.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho looks on from the dugout
Arteta and Mourinho have gone head-to-head as managers on three occasions in their careers, with the iconic Portuguese manager claiming wins on two occasions, all during his time as Tottenham Hotspur boss.
But while Mourinho claimed victory in his first two meetings against Arteta in 2020, he admitted at the time that he could see what the Spaniard was building at the Emirates, and fired a warning to rival managers about what would be coming if he was allowed to see out his plan for the club.
Speaking after a 2-0 Spurs win in December 2020, he said:
"I want to give good words and congratulations to Mikel because he gave us a very difficult game.
"Tactically, they are very good, they were very well organised, they were building with four, defending with five. Then in the second half, they tried to find triangles on the side, and they gave us problems, problems that we managed to resolve because the players in this moment have a good tactical culture.
"And even above that, they have an incredible spirit, but they gave us problems because they are a good team, and he (Arteta) is a good coach. But we deserved to win, I guess, because two amazing goals.
"I can imagine tomorrow there, that the headlines will be about them not being in a good position on the table. But I believe with this players, with Mikel, Arsenal will be Arsenal again."
Arteta Pushing to Make History
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates Champions League win against Atletico Madrid
After securing the Premier League title, Arteta has shown that he has the vision and ability to make Arsenal one of the best teams in world football.
Three consecutive runners-up finishes had many people questioning if he was the right man, especially considering they held winning positions in those seasons, and when it looked like they had let their lead slip again, those questions were raised once more.
But now, Arteta can put that behind him and will have the full backing of the board and fan base as they head to Budapest for a Champions League final looking to make history, while he'll also want to become the first Arsenal manager ever to win consecutive league championships.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates Champions League win against Atletico Madrid Related
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