Mikel Arteta: Arsenal manager blames timing for lack of trophies in recent seasons

Manager Mikel Arteta has playfully claimed that Arsenal won the past two Premier League trophies because they had more points at the end of those campaigns than Liverpool when they won the title this season.

Arteta was referring to the fact Liverpool were crowned this season’s champions with fewer points than Arsenal achieved when finishing runners-up to Manchester City in the previous two campaigns.

“Winning trophies is about being in the right moment in the right place. Liverpool have won the title with less points than we have in the last two seasons. With the points of the past two season we have two Premier League [titles],” the 43-year-old said with a smile.

However, Liverpool, who have 82 points with three games remaining, could yet surpass the 89 points Arsenal achieved last season, and tally of 84 in 2022-23.

Liverpool sealed the title with four games remaining in April.

Arsenal are 15 points adrift in second, and just three points above third-place Manchester City after last weekend’s loss to Bournemouth. They face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Before that, they will seek to keep alive their last hope of winning silverware this season by overturning a 1-0 first leg deficit against Paris St-Germain on Wednesday (20:00 BST) to reach the Champions League final.

“Hopefully we will be in the right place in the right moment in Paris and earn that right to be in the final,” he added.

They have not won major silverware since lifting the FA Cup in Arteta’s first season in charge in 2020.

But after reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season, the Spaniard has guided the club to a first semi-final in the competition since 2009.

Inter Milan await Arsenal or PSG in the Champions league final after beating Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate in the other semi-final.