It is fair to say Mikel Arteta has changed Arsenal’s fortunes for the better since taking over in December 2019, but it has not always been smooth sailing. He has taken Arsenal from top four strugglers to title contenders in just under four and a half years.
Here are ten key games that illustrate the ups and downs of Arteta’s time as Arsenal manager.
Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United – 1st January 2020
This was a big moment for Arteta, as his first win as Arsenal manager came against Manchester United. First half goals from Nicolas Pepe and Sokratis were enough to get the better of United, meaning Arteta was off and running as manager. The win moved Arsenal into the top half, still nine points off a top four place.
Morale was lifted around the Emirates. It had been a mixed start for the new boss, but a win against a fellow top six team enhanced the confidence of the side, although there was plenty of work to do.
Arsenal 2-0 Manchester City – July 18th 2020
Arteta beat Pep Guardiola in the FA Cup semi-final with two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. It was a great performance from Arsenal, and a proud moment for Arteta, beating his former boss Guardiola. Arsenal went onto win the FA Cup after a 2-1 win against Chelsea in the final.
This demonstrated that Arteta had the credentials to beat the very best in the business. Having worked under Guardiola at City, Arteta had shown he could move elsewhere and beat his former mentor. Arteta delivered a trophy within eight months of joining, although success in the Premier League was a long way off.
Tottenham 2-0 Arsenal – December 6th 2020
Arteta’s second north London derby as a manager showed the gulf in quality across north London. Spurs were top of the table under Jose Mourinho, Arsenal were lumbering in 15th. Goals from Harry Kane and Heung Min Son completed a routine win at Tottenham for the home side.
It was a damaging defeat. Washed away by their rivals, and languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, Arsenal fans were wondering whether Arteta could restore long-lost glories.
Arsenal 0-1 Burnley – December 13th 2020
A real low point, the only good thing for Arteta was that this embarassing defeat by relegation strugglers Burnley took place with only 2,000 fans in the Emirates Stadium because of Covid restrictions. A full house might have been calling for his head, as Granit Xhaka was sent off and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored an own goal. Those few fans attending showed their unhappiness as Arsenal sat 15th in the Premier League with no wins in seven.
On another day, the Arsenal board might have pulled the plug on Arteta. Arsenal were far away from the team he wanted them to be, and if there had been a repeat of the toxic atmosphere around Arsene Wenger’s final seasons, Arteta might have been sacked. But he survived.
Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham 14th March 2021
Every North London Derby is significant, but this was the day Arteta dropped his captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for being late and stamped his authority on the club. That Arsenal won without their star player was one thing, but the way Arteta axed and ultimately sold the Gabon forward left the rest of the Arsenal players in no doubt as to who was in charge.
He had his own ideas on how he wanted Arsenal to be identified as a club. No nonsense, ruthless managerial decisions were starting to be made. Arteta was demonstrating he was not someone to be messed with.
Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Arsenal 12th May 2022
Just over a year later, a win at Spurs would have guaranteed Champions League football for the first time in six years, but it went horribly wrong for Arteta’s side, who were blown away by Tottenham’s biggest league win over their bitter rivals for almost 20 years.
The first of Harry Kane’s two goals set Tottenham on their way before the hapless Rob Holding was sent off before half-time and Heung Min Son made it 3-0 soon afterwards. Arsenal fans left in their droves long before the final whistle as Spurs marched on to reclaim their place in the Champions League.
Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal – 16th May 2022
A week later, Arsenal still had it in their hands to finish in the top four but blew it by losing 2-0 at struggling Newcastle. Ben White’s own goal and a strike from Bruno Guimaraes condemned Arsenal to yet another defeat, leaving rivals Spurs a clear run to reclaim fourth spot. Another huge chance had gone begging and inevitably questions were asked about Arsenal’s fragility. A final day win over Everton was not enough to overtake Tottenham for a Champions League place and the season ended on a whimper yet again.
Tottenham 0-2 Arsenal – 15th January 2023
Arsenal went to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and beat Spurs on their own turf for the first time in ten years. An own goal by Hugo Lloris and a Martin Odegaard strike meant Arteta and his side could celebrate going eight points clear of Manchester City at the top.
At last Arsenal fans dared to dream of winning the Premier League for the first time in 19 years. They were top of the league, well ahead of the pack and the title was in their sights.
Manchester City 4-1 Arsenal – 26th April 2023
It all came crashing down as Arteta’s side were given a footballing lesson by Guardiola’s City. The win saw City move within two points of Arsenal with two games in hand, and there was no stopping them. Arsenal were 3-0 down through goals from Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones. Rob Holding pulled a goal back before Erling Haaland killed the game.
City went on to leapfrog Arsenal to win their third successive title, and while Gunners fans defended accusations of ‘bottling’ it, there was no escaping their dismal collapse – having been eight points clear of City in April, they ended up five points behind them after six weeks in which they won only three of their final nine games. They had led the table for a record 248 days of the season, but fell short when it mattered.
Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City – 8th October 2023
Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected goal gave Arteta’s side all three points in this huge clash at the Emirates. It was a statement of intent from Arsenal who led the way, alongside Spurs, in the early league standings, two points above City. It was also a first defeat of the season for Guardiola’s side . This ongoing title race is still rumbling on with Liverpool in the mix too. Will this result be looked back on as one of the defining moments of the season, and Arteta’s time as manager?
