Mikel Arteta has praised Arsenal‘s mentality after claiming his players were unhappy despite winning 1-0 at Manchester United on Sunday.
Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal at Old Trafford after 13 minutes, nodding in from close range after United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir failed to deal with a Declan Rice corner.
Back in September 2020 — less than a year into Arteta’s first season in charge — Arsenal had won just two of their last 40 away games at the traditional Big Six sides.
By contrast, in the last two seasons, Arsenal are unbeaten in 20 league matches against Liverpool, Chelsea, United, Manchester City and Tottenham — a record they extended to 21 on Sunday
Asked if his side had overcome the idea they struggled against such teams to history, Arteta said: “Well I think that was the case… It was 18 years or 22 years here at Old Trafford without winning before I came, and now I go in the dressing room, we won here the first game, and we are not still happy. Good sign.
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“A big, big result coming into the first game of the season at Old Trafford. When you feel that they are building something special and momentum with the new signings and they want to kick on the season in a good way and you are able to come away with the win, I think I’m very happy.
“We showed it in a different way today. I think we did two things very well. One, to take the set-piece and then react to especially mistakes. Some of them are necessary, some of them unusual. But the way every single player reacted to that gives us the opportunity to win the game.
“If not, it’s impossible. And that’s about how we compete and how much we want to take it.”
Arsenal host Leeds next on Aug. 23 while their opponents on Sunday, United face an away trip to Fulham on Aug. 24.
