“Trying to sound clever” - Liverpool hero hits out at ‘daft’ Mikel Arteta for mentioning factually incorrect Arsenal record

Liverpool hero Steve Nicol has slammed Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his unverified comment about the Gunners picking up more points than any other side in the last three Premier League seasons. The pundit believes that the Spaniard is trying to sound clever, but the opposite happens in the press conference.

Arteta was speaking to the media ahead of the Premier League season opener against Manchester United when he claimed that his side needs to continue searching for the league title. He claimed that Arsenal had picked up the most points in the last three seasons combined and said (via The Guardian):

“You keep digging, digging, ­digging and you have to be digging because one day the gold is going to be there. That’s all the time. When I’ve been taught, when I’ve been educated, that’s it. For three seasons we’ve had more points than any other team in this league, which is incredible. That’s how you have all the consistency. Now we have to do it in a season to have one more point or the same amount of points and more goals different than any other team. That’s the objective.”

However, the claim from Arteta has been proven inaccurate. The Gunners have collected 247 points in the last three seasons, while Manchester City have 251.

Nicol was asked to share his thoughts on the comments, and he said on ESPN FC (from 20:44):

“He has been no different since coming in through the door at Arsenal, trying to sound clever, it’s just the way he is. I don’t suppose it would matter even if they had won the league, he’s still going to come out with something and we’re still going to have something daft to talk about him. It’s just the way the guy is.”

Arsenal are without a major trophy in the last five seasons under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners have managed to win two Community Shields, but their only major silverware under the Spaniard remains the FA Cup from the 2019/20 season.

Jamie Carragher accuses Arsenal of stealing Liverpool target

Jamie Carragher has boldly claimed that Mikel Arteta played a key role in Martin Zubimendi snubbing a move to Liverpool in 2024. The Reds legend claimed on the Stick to Football podcast that the Arsenal manager urged the midfielder to stay at Real Sociedad for another season and said:

"He'd agreed to come to Liverpool. He said he was coming - and at the last minute he said, 'I don't want to come. I'll have another year [at Sociedad].' Arteta's from the Basque area. There's no doubt he's been into him and said, 'We're signing [Mikel] Merino this season, we'll come for you next season.'"

Arsenal signed Martin Zubimendi this summer for a deal worth around £60 million. Liverpool were willing to activate his release clause last summer, but the midfielder opted to stay at the Spanish side for another season.