Arsenal legend claims Mikel Arteta is running out of time to win trophy – exclusive
Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn has suggested pressure is mounting on Gunners manager Mikel Arteta to deliver a trophy, even if it is not the silverware the club’s supporters are demanding.
After emerging as Manchester City’s chief challenger in the last two Premier League title races, Arsenal have failed to take advantage of a slide in fortunes for Pep Guardiola’s champions this season, with Liverpool taking over as the dominant side in England’s top division.
Arteta won the 2020 FA Cup a few months after he took over as Arsenal manager, but he has failed to lift a trophy over the last four years.
Now Winterburn, who won seven major trophies during his Gunners career, believes any kind of silverware could fire the trigger on a run of success for the Gunners.
“I said at the start of the season that Arsenal need a trophy this year,” Winterburn told Football365 with William Hill.
“When a team wins their first trophy, it drives you on and I believe that when this team wins their first trophy, the second won’t be far behind.
“We all know the trophies Arsenal fans would like to win, but if it is only the Carabao Cup, then at least this team will get an understanding of what it feels like to win.
“People would say they ‘only’ won the Carabao Cup, but within a club, you need to set your goals and they have to start off by winning the first trophy.”
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Arsenal are outsiders to win the club’s first Premier League title since 2004, but Winterburn believes this season’s title race is not as predictable as the last few.
Liverpool may be firm favourites to lift the Premier League title as they hold a six-point advantage and have a game in hand on nearest challengers Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, but Winterburn believes the dynamics of this season’s title race have shifted with Manchester City slipping from their pedestal as the dominant force in English football.
“The pressure has intensified not just because Manchester City have dropped off, but because expectations have gone up dramatically at Arsenal,” he added.
“Go back three years and there was no expectation to win the league, but they have been in a position to challenge for the title over the last couple of years.
“They didn’t get over the line as City were fantastic in the final weeks of both seasons, but there is a rising level of expectation that you will eventually take the next step and get over the line.
“Arsenal have gone from being a team aiming to get into the top four to a team that is expected to challenge for the title.
“I didn’t feel any pressure in that situation when the Arsenal team I was in was challenging for titles. We went out there and relished the challenge.
“The title race is still very much on and Arsenal are right in there if Liverpool slip up a few times, but we need to look at the bigger picture and not judge everything on one defeat or draw.
“We are living in a world where we evaluate everything that is going on after one game, so I don’t look too much into Liverpool’s performance against Manchester United. They are still in a strong position, they are in a great position and they are still the team to beat.
“We are not looking at Liverpool in the same way we did Manchester City when they got rolling in recent seasons as they didn’t look like dropping points in the latter half of the season. They were just a juggernaut and no one could catch them, but this season is completely different.
“I don’t think Liverpool will walk away with the title, but they are clearly in the best position just over the half way point.”
