Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Arne Slot’s Liverpool are often spoken about in the same breath, but one is somehow judged more harshly in a certain area.
Arsenal are edging closer to a first major trophy since Arteta’s first season at the club.
Last campaign, it looked to be their year, but Slot came in at Anfield and took Liverpool to a comfortable title with Arsenal far behind in the race.
With 21 games played this term, Arsenal are six points clear at the top, and they will be growing in confidence that they can finally win the Spaniard his second trophy at the Emirates — well, first ‘real’ trophy if we’re being fair.
Mikel Arteta should fall under ‘Klopp’s team’ criticism like Arne Slot
A common turn of phrase this season that grew in popularity when Liverpool were on a losing run was that Slot won the league with Jurgen Klopp’s team, not his own.
How weird would it be to see Jurgen Klopp manage another team? At least Alonso can come to Liverpool…
Well, Arteta’s only major trophy since taking the reins at Arsenal came just months into his tenure, after replacing Unai Emery.
In six seasons, that’s the highlight of his spell as manager, and it was done with a team built by someone else. Arsenal may have improved since then, but silverware is remembered more than anything else in football.
Criticising a new coach for winning silverware is silly but if Slot is getting it, Arteta should be too.
Maybe more so, given how much longer he has been there.
Mikel Arteta has to win the Premier League this season
The overwhelming narrative is that Arsenal have the Premier League wrapped up in January.
It’s said with such confidence, despite the fact that two teams trail them by just six points.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  ArsenalArsenal | 21 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 40 | 14 | 26 | 49 |
| 2 |  Manchester CityManchester City | 21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 45 | 19 | 26 | 43 |
| 3 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 43 |
| 4 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 21 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 32 | 28 | 4 | 35 |
We all know too well how Pep Guardiola’s Man City shift into a higher gear in February, and while this isn’t the City of old, they could be caught up to the league leaders in no time.
Arsenal are the best team in England right now, but that’s why the size of the gap after more than half a season is even more concerning.
- READ MORE: Mikel Arteta claims Liverpool have two ‘world-class’ players after watching them up close vs Arsenal
It’s well over 20 years since they won a title. If this isn’t to be the year, that would raise an uncomfortable question about whether Arteta is indeed the manager to lead Arsenal back to the promised land.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
