Manchester United may be enduring a miserable season, but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remains wary of their ability to rise to the occasion.
Arsenal host United in the FA Cup third round decider on Sunday and, although new manager Ruben Amorim is still finding his feet at Old Trafford, the Portuguese has managed to claim a 2-1 win at Manchester City in December and a 2-2 draw at Liverpool last weekend.
Arsenal 🤍
For the fourth consecutive season, we will wear an all-white uniform, without our iconic colors on Sunday in support of the No More Red campaign.
—Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 10, 2025
“Look at how they perform against the big teams and how they perform and the results they got,” Arteta said.
“I know him (Amorim) well, I followed him in Portugal and there is a big reason why he is where he is at the moment and he deserves to be there.
“When each manager is appointed it is for different reasons. “Sometimes it is about transforming a football club.”
Arteta has fond memories of the FA Cup
Arteta has had a transformative effect on Arsenal, returning them to the elite of English football, but it has yet to translate into regular titles, with the 2020 FA Cup being the only trophy he won as manager at the Emirates, although he did claim it. twice as a player.
The competition has undoubtedly lost some of its appeal, but Arteta has fond memories of Arsenal’s successes, adding: “The memory of winning something and sharing it with people is the ultimate goal.”
Arsenal will be hoping to bounce back from Tuesday night’s 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, a match they dominated for long periods without being able to capitalize on any of their numerous opportunities.
Arteta later attributed the setback in part to the ball, which is different in the EFL Cup, a comment that attracted a lot of attention.
When asked about it today, he said: “We adapted. In the Champions League it is different. Each ball is different, different flight. It’s not an excuse. “Every field is different, the climate is different.”
